Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, November 18
Himachal Pradesh Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur has accused the state government of neglecting disaster-hit communities and delaying relief and rehabilitation efforts over the past three years, even as it continued to focus on political events and celebrations. He said that between 2023 and 2025, nearly 480 people had died in natural disasters across the state, while 41 remained missing. More than 30,000 animals and birds were also lost, and thousands of families were affected, with basic services still not restored in several areas.
He alleged that the government’s official figures—1,800 fully damaged houses and 300 partially damaged—did not reflect the ground reality. Many families, he said, were still waiting for adequate assistance even five months after the worst disasters. Raising objections to a government event planned in Mandi, he said the district had recorded more than 50 disaster-related deaths and it was inappropriate to hold celebrations there. He claimed that the relief provided to 1,513 fully damaged homes was insufficient and that many affected families had been left out of government schemes.
The BJP leader said ministers had not visited several major disaster sites. He cited incidents in Sundernagar, where seven people died, and in Bilaspur, where a landslide killed 16 people. According to him, development work had slowed, payments to government employees and pensioners were pending, and contractors’ bills were not being cleared on time. Commenting on panchayat and municipal elections, he accused the government of attempting to delay the polls by invoking the Disaster Management Act. He said the administration issued boundary notifications only after intervention by the court and the State Election Commission.
He also criticised the Congress leadership, saying the party lacked achievements and was attempting to divert attention from real issues. Referring to the recent Bihar election results, he said the Congress was in a weakened position and argued that the Himachal Pradesh government should cancel celebratory events and instead prioritise relief and rehabilitation for disaster-hit families.
