Himachal govt to consider subsidy on equipment to shield crops from wild animals: CM Sukhu

Shimla, Aug 25 (PTI) The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh would consider providing subsidies on equipment to protect crops from wild animals, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the Assembly during Question Hour on Monday.

Replying to a query by party MLA Anuradha Rana, Sukhu said while there is a provision of compensation in case of death or serious injuries to human beings and domestic cattle caused by wild animals, the government would consider providing subsidies on equipment for protecting crops from the same.

Replying to another question by BJP MLA Reena Kashyap, Sukhu said he met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, and urged him to include the Chhaila-Neripul-Sanora road in the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund and also construct an alternative road as the existing one gets damaged due to landslides at various places during the apple season.

Sukhu said that instructions have been issued to the Sirmaur SP and other officials to keep a check on movement of heavy vehicles on the road, as the traffic gets disrupted due to the plying of 10-wheeler trucks.

Kashyap had demanded a ban on plying of heavy vehicles on the road, saying the load-bearing capacity of the bridges on the road was nine tonnes.

In another reply, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri told BJP's Anil Sharma that the Mandi Water Supplies Scheme suffered massively during the natural disasters of 2023, and due to the sinking of land at Mathyani village, the pipeline got damaged frequently, adding that there is a need to shift the pipeline to some higher location for which central grants of Rs 20-25 crore are required. PTI BPL ARI