Due to excessive rains, flash floods and landslides during this monsoon season, Himachal has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 787.47 crore,
Additional Chief secretary (Revenue), Tarun Sridhar, who held a meeting with team of central government visiting the state to assess the losses suffered by the state due to floods and other disasters, said that over 5300 IPH schemes were completely or partially damaged, resulting in loss of Rs 214.52 crore while State Electricity Board suffered losses of Rs 32.15 crore and losses to private property stood at Rs 2.55 crore.
The tomato, peas and potato crops also suffered losses. Pedestrian paths and link roads also suffered massive damage.
He said that despite limited resources, the State government restored all the roads, IPH schemes and electricity on war footing.
One of the major rescue operations of the country was conducted at Bilaspur tunnel where two persons were rescued after 15 days, he added.
Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Tribal Development V C Pharka said that the government of India had sanctioned funds on the basis of area and population and not on vulnerability to disasters and stressed that vulnerability should be given weightage as Himachal had different topography and climatic conditions.
Additional Chief Secretary, PWD, Narender Chauhan said that drainage and maintenance of roads was essential and government was spending huge money on it.
He said that state government was giving top priority to improvement of road conditions and there was a liability of Rs 300 crore on this account.
Secretary (Security), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, V.Shashank Shekhar said that the team visited various flood-prone and affected areas of the State.
He said roads had suffered major losses and asked for reflecting the expenditure incurred on rescue operations also.
