Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, August 18
The monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly commenced on Monday with a sharp exchange between the state government and opposition over disaster relief efforts following recent floods. The opposition, led by former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, moved an adjournment motion under Rule 67, which the Speaker accepted. Thakur accused the state government of mismanagement, claiming that relief materials sent by the BJP and citizens were being misrepresented as government aid. He alleged that supplies were airlifted even to the homes of officials close to the Chief Minister, while road restoration and broader relief operations faced severe neglect. Thakur called for temporary shelters for affected families and demanded transparent relief distribution.
In response, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu defended his administration, stating he was the first to reach the affected areas and coordinated the arrival of NDRF and SDRF teams and helicopters at the state’s request. Sukhu noted that no special relief package had been provided by the central government so far. He challenged the opposition to help secure land for victims, saying the government was ready to build shelters once adequate arrangements were made. The Chief Minister stressed that blaming authorities would not resolve issues and that permanent solutions could only follow once the rainfall subsides.
