Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh who was in Kinnaur district today to assess and monitor the restoration works directed the District Administration to speed up the efforts to restore the road connectivity and said that the all the roads in the district would be opened for vehicular traffic within a fortnight. He said that men and machinery of PWD, Border Road Organization and hydel projects had been pressed into service and had been asked to complete restoration of roads and bridges within stipulated time.
He said that Horticulture, Revenue, Agriculture and other concerned departments would ensure immediate spot visit of every village of the district and make actual assessment of the loss so that the compensation could be made to the affected persons suitably besides taking up the matter with Government of India for financial assistance.
Chief Minister further said that the people whose houses were damaged during incessant rains would be compensated duly. He said that the main focus should be on evacuating stranded people to safer places by ensuring maximum number of sorties. He said that 40 foreign nationals were stranded at Nako and 40-60 persons belonging to Tabo were also stranded at Pooh and they all should be airlifted on priority.
Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, high alert had been sounded in Kinnaur district. As many as 176 persons were airlifted to safer places today which inlcudes 106 persons from Sangla, including 16 foreigners and 70 persons from Reckong-Peo and Pooh. Earlier, the Chief Minister made aerial survey of Nako, Pooh and Gyabong to take stock of the damage caused due to natural disaster. Shri Jagat Singh Negi, Deputy Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha thanked the Chief Minister for his visit and the affection he had for people of Kinnaur. Shri T.G. Negi, Advisor to Chief Minister, Shri V.C. Pharka, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and other senior officers of State Government, ITBP, BRO were present on the occasion.