Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, January 12
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed grief over a major fire in Arki town of Solan district, in which a seven-year-old girl was killed and several others are feared trapped under debris. The blaze broke out in the Arki market area in the early hours of Monday following multiple gas cylinder explosions. Officials said the child’s body had been recovered, while eight to nine people were suspected to be buried under the rubble.
Rescue operations are continuing at the site, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Force and the local administration deployed. The officials said that the situation was being closely monitored. Speaking to reporters, Sukhu said every effort was being made to rescue those trapped and provide relief to the affected families.
On the issue of Panchayati Raj elections, the Chief Minister said the state government was studying the recent decision of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and was considering all available legal options. He reiterated that the government had already planned to hold panchayat elections in April or May. Earlier in the day, Sukhu flagged off a truck carrying 5,000 chilgoza saplings from the Shimla Secretariat to Bhutan. The consignment was sent under an agreement between the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and the Bhutanese government.
The officials said the shipment also included 50 kilograms of seeds, and that Bhutan had provided an advance payment of ₹500,000 as part of the agreement. The Chief Minister said the initiative was aimed at generating additional revenue through forest resources and similar efforts would continue in the future.
