Himachal Pradesh gets Rs 317 crore aid for moonsoon losses

SHIMLA: The government of India has provided financial assistance of Rs 317.44 crore in lieu of losses suffered during the monsoon last year. This is the highest amount received by the state against monsoon losses in the last eight years. Last year, Rs 84 crore were provided while in 2016, Rs 64 crore were provided to the state that suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,994.83 crore during the monsoon season while 343 people were killed in flash-floods, landslides, cloudbursts and road accidents during the rainy season.
Last year, the monsoon had wreaked havoc as the state also witnessed 405 incidents of landslides and 34 incidents of cloudbursts. Losses of PWD were calculated around Rs 930 crore due to damage to roads and bridges, etc. The irrigation and public health department had suffered losses of Rs 430 crore while Rs 130.37 crore losses were calculated as far as crops and related infrastructure were concerned.
The state has received the financial assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Official sources said that earlier the Centre had provided Rs 272 crore to the state. After the state government asked for relief, an inter-ministerial team had visited the state to assess the losses.
Meanwhile, a report says that landslides and flash-floods during monsoon had become a cause of concern. A report prepared by the state disaster management authority says that continuous attention is necessary to reduce these hazards in the state as these are causing large-scale damage. “Due to diverse topography of the area, the flood problem in the state is largely isolated in nature. Heavy monsoon in the Shivaliks and lower and mid-Himalayan ranges cause extensive floods,” added the report.