LoP Jairam Thakur slams Himachal govt for withdrawing Disaster Management Act order

Shimla: Leader of opposition Jairam Thakur on Thursday condemned the Himachal Pradesh govt's decision to withdraw the order issued under the Disaster Management Act six months after its implementation, accusing the govt of negligence and insensitivity.Thakur claimed the state govt's only achievement during the disaster was spending Rs 10 crore on celebrations, while relief and rehabilitation efforts were neglected. He alleged that in the worst-affected areas, the govt had "added salt to the wounds" of residents. Many roads remain blocked by debris, hundreds of bus routes were suspended for eight months, and temporary bridges are usable only by light vehicles. Drinking water schemes were still incomplete, and electricity poles and transformers had not been restored in several affected regions, he added.
The former chief minister questioned why the Disaster Act was imposed if no substantial relief or reconstruction work was carried out. He accused the govt of using the act merely to delay panchayat elections and stall development projects. From Dec till now, he said, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and ministers had spent time blaming the central govt, fearing election defeat rather than addressing public needs.Thakur claimed the govt is deliberately slowing development and blocking central aid from reaching panchayats. He warned that this inaction and fear of elections left the public feeling cheated, and the state's residents would hold the govt accountable in the near future. MSID:: 129091340 413 |