Disaster relief row: Himachal revenue minister hits back at BJP

Shimla, Aug 22 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Friday hit back at opposition BJP over disaster relief row and targeted the leader of the opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, accusing him of constructing roads on forest lands without any permission and raising huge structures, which emerged as major cause of destruction during the disaster.

Replying to the debate on natural disaster and relief under Rule 67 (adjournment motion), Negi alleged that the forest cover reduced by 23 percent between 2018 and 2022 in Seraj region (assembly constituency of LOP), when Jai Ram Thakur was chief minister as trees were felled illegally by deploying JCB and Nallahs were choked, which heightened disaster risk.

The BJP which has announced to boycott Negi left the house as the minister started his reply.

Later, BJP leader Vipin Singh Parmar said that Negi had been using intemperate language and insulting Jai Ram Thakur and disaster affected people and the BJP has decided to boycott him.

Trees were illegally cut and 56 cases are under investigation, Negi said in the House.

During the disaster, Jai Ram Thakur only talked about his Seraj assembly constituency and even as chief minister, he was careless in disaster management and did not take advantage of the "double Engine" government, depriving the state of development, Negi said.

Asserting that there was no laxity in disaster management and relief, Negi said that the government took care of all the disaster affected areas and provided immediate relief and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was first to reach Seraj after disaster but the BJP was making accusations to belittle his efforts.

Negi alleged that Jai Ram Thakur government constructed huge buildings but did not construct permanent building for Horticulture and Forestry College and the students who stayed in rented rooms were forced to take shelter in the rest house during the disaster and keeping in view the safety aspect, the college has been shifter to Atal Vidyalaya campus.

Negi also accused the BJP of discrimination in distribution of disaster relief and said that it was distributing relief under the banner of the party and the relief was not reaching Congress supporters.

"Disaster relief is not limited to any party but to all the affected people", he said and asked the BJP to release white paper on relief distributed by it.

Alleging that the BJP leaders are directly collecting money for relief which should go to Chief Minister's relief fund, Negi said and asked who are the donors and when the BJP would submit the accounts.

He said that all the congress MLAs were unitedly working for disaster hit people while the BJP's was only indulging in photo shoots and publicity and accused it of making 'disaster a political tool'.

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