Kaul Singh Thakur, Health & Family Welfare and Revenue Minister, after a review meeting of the on going relief and rescue operations in the flood affected areas of the State, said here today that sufficient stocking of foodgrains was being ensured in various fair price shops of disaster-hit district of Kinnaur.
Kaul Singh Thakur said that as per time line provided by Border Road Organization, the road between Kashang to Akpa would be opened by 15th July, from Akpa to Spillow by 10th July, from Spillow to Pooh and Pooh to Chango between 30th June to 7th July, 2013. He said that fuel and lubricants had been moved to various locations to run the machinery involved in restoration of roads.
The Minister said that agriculture and horticulture departments had been directed to prepare long term rehabilitation plan for the farmers of the district for ensuring their quick rehabilitation. He said that Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh was monitoring the situation on daily basis. The Chief Minister visited the affected areas of district Kinnaur and met the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi and other Union Ministers and apprised them of the losses the State had suffered due to natural calamity. He said that the Chief Minister had submitted a report to the Prime Minister of India for releasing Rs. 1000 crore immediately to the disaster-hit areas of the State so that relief, rehabilitation and restoration works could be accelerated.
Thakur said that the State Government had immediately released funds amounting to Rs. 28 crore for carrying out relief operations in the State and all the Deputy Commissioners were directed to provide immediate gratuitous relief to the people. He said that besides two senior HAS officers deputed in Sangla and Giabong, one Tehsildar and one Naib Tehsildar had also been stationed at Pooh to assist ADM Pooh in rescue and relief efforts. The Minister said that the State Government had planned to provide essential commodities through more sorties in remote areas of Leo, Nako, Jangi, Pooh, Tabo, Sumdo, Kaza and Sangla where the works for clearance of roads was being done on war footing.