12 killed in house collapse incidents in Haryana due to heavy rains: CM

Chandigarh, Sep 8 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday said 12 people have lost their lives in house collapse incidents recently in different parts of the state due to heavy rains.

An ex-gratia of Rs 48 lakh -- Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of deceased persons -- has been released to provide financial assistance to the bereaved families, he said.

In the house collapse incidents due to heavy rains in the state, 12 people have lost their lives, Saini, who was giving details about relief measures in the flood/waterlogged affected areas in the state, told reporters here.

The fatal incidents took place in districts including Fatehabad, Bhiwani and Kurukshetra.

Last week, in Bhiwani district's Kalinga village, three girls died and their parents and a minor brother were injured when the roof of their rented house collapsed due to heavy rains while the family was asleep.

Saini further said that all the Ministers of his cabinet, party MLAs and the three Independents supporting the BJP government, will contribute one month salary for the flood-affected people.

Government officials, employees, social organisations, the industries have also been requested to make contributions of whatever amount they like to the Haryana CM's Relief Fund, he said.

He said while Haryana is also grappling with the problems caused by heavy rains recently, the spirit of its people is to simultaneously extend a helping hand to other neighbouring flood-hit states.

The CM said when he met a group of villagers from a village which was affected by flood he told them that the Haryana government and people of the state has extended a helping hand to the neighbouring flood-hit states including Punjab, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Saini said the Haryana government is continuously assessing the damage caused by the heavy rains in the state and has opened a designated portal to mitigate the hardships faced by citizens due to floods.

We have identified priorities for immediate relief in flood and waterlogged areas, he said.

Relief operations are continuously underway in all these areas, he further said. PTI SUN NB