Himachal: BJP demands Monsoon session deferment, slams CM's absence amid flood fury in state

Shimla, Aug 28 (PTI) Pandemonium prevailed in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday as opposition BJP demanded the deferment of the ongoing Monsoon session amid incessant rain triggering massive destruction across the state and slammed Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's absence from the state during the disaster.

Opposition members alleged that the government was apathetic towards the situation and said the CM should have been in Himachal instead of attending political meetings in poll-bound Bihar.

As tension brewed, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania adjourned the house for 15 minutes amid uproarious scenes.

BJP MLA Hansraj from Churah said that the situation was grim in his constituency, Pangi and other areas of Chamba district. Saach Pass in the district is wrapped in a one-and-a-half-foot-thick blanket of snow, roads are closed, and thousands of people are stranded, he said, asserting that the CM should have been in the state during this time.

BJP's Bharmour MLA Janak Raj said that the session should be deferred and requested that the government make arrangements to enable the MLAs to reach the disaster-hit areas of Chamba.

Leader of the Opposition in the Himachal Assembly, Jai Ram Thakur, also criticised the government over CM's absence from the state. He said that massive damage has been caused to the roads in Mandi, Kullu and Chamba districts, where communication links have been snapped and thousands of people are stranded.

He appealed to the Speaker to use his powers to speed up the relief and restoration operations.

Speaker Pathania, who represents the Bhatiyyat assembly constituency in Chamba district, also expressed his concern and said that the session can be deferred if both the ruling and Opposition reach a consensus.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the government was fully involved in disaster management and accused the Opposition of playing politics on such a sensitive issue.

Agnihotri informed that various areas received excessive rainfall between August 24 and 27, with some districts receiving over 200 per cent of excess rainfall, including Chamba, which in 24 hours witnessed 99.6 mm rainfall, 1,789 per cent more than normal.

Further, the loss has touched Rs 2,623.36 crore, and 158 people died in rain-related incidents between June 20 and August 27, the deputy CM said, adding 38 people remain missing.

As many as 747 houses have been completely damaged, while 2,772 houses are damaged partially.

On the Yatra, he said it has been stopped and 3,269 pilgrims, including 1,259 women and 280 children, have been rescued. The Pathankot-Chamba National Highway has been closed at many places due to landslides and uprooted trees, and the Manali-Leh Highway was also closed, he added. PTI BPL AMJ AMJ