Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said the Himachal Pradesh government would seek the Central Government’s permission to rehabilitate families affected by recent natural disasters on forestland. This is part of a planned one-time settlement policy to help those who lost their homes and land.
On the second day of his visit to the flood- and cloudburst-affected areas in the Seraj Assembly constituency, the Chief Minister toured the villages of Thunag, Bagsiad, Deji, Bara, and Syanj to assess the damage. He assured villagers that the government would provide all possible help. Tragically, four people lost their lives in Syanj village, and eleven others are still missing in Deji.
Since 68% of Himachal’s land falls under forest category, Sukhu said the state must take the Centre’s permission for resettlement. He added that the state Cabinet would soon discuss a special relief package for rain-hit families.
As immediate support, the Chief Minister announced a ₹7 crore relief package. This includes ₹2 crore each for the Public Works and Jal Shakti departments and ₹1 crore for the Block Development Office. An earlier ₹2 crore had already been released for restoration work.
During his visit, Sukhu spoke to villagers at Pakhrar Panchayat Ghar and directed revenue officers to quickly assess the damage. He told officials to declare unsafe and silt-filled homes as completely damaged so that maximum compensation could be given. The government will also provide relief for household losses and livestock damage.
He instructed officers to speed up road repairs, water and electricity supply restoration, and evaluate losses faced by horticulturists. He noted that major roads have already been reopened and efforts are ongoing to restore village link roads quickly.
The Chief Minister appreciated the hard work of NCC cadets, SDRF, NDRF, police, Home Guards, and volunteers. He also met schoolgirls in Thunag, who informed him about damage to their school. In response, he promised to open a CBSE-affiliated school in the area.
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