Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu held a meeting on Wednesday evening with Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur at the Thunag Rest House to review the damage and progress of relief and rescue operations in the Seraj region that had been hit badly by torrential rains and cloud bursts recently.
The Chief Minister directed departments to expedite the restoration of roads and the resumption of disrupted water and electricity supply schemes to ensure quick relief to the affected people. He said he would soon visit Delhi to meet with the Union Ministers to seek a special relief package for the State.
The Chief Minister instructed the concerned departments to immediately prepare detailed project reports for the damaged roads, bridges, electricity, and water schemes. He specifically mentioned that the 56-km Chail Chowk-Janjheli road would be proposed under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for strengthening. He asked to prepare its DPR within a week.
He also directed officers to coordinate closely with the Leader of Opposition and prioritize key schemes to accelerate relief efforts through inter-departmental collaboration. Despite the scale of devastation, he noted that 60 percent of drinking water schemes have already been temporarily restored.
The Chief Minister asked the Public Works Department to restore connectivity through construction of bailey and suspension bridges for which the government would provide required funds. Sh. Sukhu and Jai Ram Thakur also discussed the issue of resettlement of families who have lost their land in the devastation.
Jai Ram Thakur highlighted that cloudburst incidents have caused extensive destruction and with winter approaching, there is an urgent need to prioritize the rehabilitation of those who have lost everything. The Chief Minister directed the DC, Mandi to identify safe locations for temporary resettlement of affected families, where prefabricated structures can be installed to provide immediate shelter.
He also instructed officials to assess the damages suffered by the horticulturists. Former Minister Prakash Chaudhary, Congress leaders Chet Ram, Jagdish Reddy, Vijay Pal Singh, APMC Chairman Sanjeev Guleria, Jeevan Thakur, Naresh Chauhan were also present on the occasion.