Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 12 : The Revenue, Tribal Development, and Horticulture Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jagat Singh Negi on Friday said that despite continuous restoration work after this year's devastating monsoon and floods, several roads and public utilities remain disrupted.
He pegged the total losses so far at ₹4,500 crore, while terming the ₹1,500-crore relief announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "too little."
"The rains and floods are continuing in the state. Roads are still blocked, and restoration is being carried out on a war footing," Negi told ANI.
According to the minister, 583 link roads and three national highways are still closed, while around 806 electricity distribution transformers (DTRs) and nearly 364 water supply schemes remain non-functional.
"Because of the monsoon and heavy rains, 215 people have lost their lives. Another 165 died in road accidents, taking the total toll to 380." He added that wherever necessary, rescue operations were conducted. "In the Manimahesh Yatra in Chamba and in Lahaul-Spiti, where tourists were stranded due to blocked roads, they were rescued and sent to their destinations," Negi said.
Negi underlined that while small vehicles can pass in some restored areas, heavy vehicle movement remains restricted at many points.
"Till now, the state has suffered losses worth ₹4,500 crore," the minister said, adding that rebuilding road connectivity in the hills requires much higher expenditure than in the plains.
"The ₹1,500 crore that the Prime Minister has announced is far too little. This is a massive tragedy. Road construction in the mountains costs 20 to 30 times more compared to the plains because of the difficult cutting and terrain," Negi stressed.
He recalled that in 2010, central teams had assessed Himachal's disaster losses at ₹10,000 crore, after which the state eventually received only ₹2,000 crore, of which ₹500 crore had to be borne by the state. "Now again, only ₹1,500 crore has been announced. That too is tied to a scheme-specific, not untied. This is inadequate," he said, calling for a revision of disaster relief norms to account for the unique vulnerabilities of hilly states.
The minister said conditions remain precarious with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for rain. "The rains are still ongoing, and conditions have not yet normalised in many areas," he added.