M A I N   N E W S

Dhumal likely to approach PM on drought relief
Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 25
Due to the failure of the Centre to provide any relief to the drought-hit Himachal Pradesh where a poor farmer reportedly starved to death in Kangra district, Mr P. K. Dhumal is likely to seek intervention of the Prime Minister for securing Central assistance. Damage worth Rs 498 crore has been caused to the crops due to the prolonged drought.

The state government had sought ad hoc relief of Rs 144 crore, but not a penny has been received so far although a Central team has surveyed the drought-affected areas of the state sometime ago.

The Minister of State for Revenue, Mr Rajan Sushant, who held a meeting of revenue officers here today to review the drought situation, told news persons that the Centre had been urged to provide an immediate grant of Rs 27 crore as farmers depending solely on their agriculture crops were now on the verge of starvation. Things were going from bad to worse although the state government was providing all possible help to the drought-affected areas.

He said he would request Mr Dhumal to apprise the Prime Minister of the situation, who is holidaying in Manali these days, and seek his intervention in the matter. The total loss was estimated to be around Rs 498 crore.

The minister said the state government had received Rs 34.24 crore under the Calamity Relief Fund from the Centre.

Mr Sushant said the state government had provided Rs 18.15 crore from its resources for relief to various districts and departments. He said about 85 per cent of the apple crop had been destroyed due to the drought.

The government has ordered the revenue officers, BDOs, veterinary doctors and horticulture officers to fan out to the interior areas and make assessment of the losses and the kind of help required by the people so that things could be streamlined by June 1.

Food for work schemes were being launched throughout the state for which 5000 tonnes of foodgrains of the total requirement of 11,549 tonnes have already reached here. The death of a farmer due to “starvation” in Kangra was a serious issue and the SDM, Nurpur has been ordered to hold a detailed enquiry into the incident. However, there was nothing to indicate that the farmer had died due to starvation according to reports of the district authorities.

He said men and mules have been engaged for carrying drinking water to such areas in the interior villages where tankers were not able to reach because of lack of roads. Labourers have been engaged in seven villages of Talor and Keran panchayats of Dodrakawar adjoining Uttar Pradesh for carrying water.

Eleven truckloads carrying 990 quintals of fodder have been sent to various areas of Shimla district and there was demand for another 2,000 quintals.

He said the district authorities of Shimla and Kangra have asked for an additional grant of Rs 1 crore each for relief, Solan had sought Rs 70 lakh, Bilaspur Rs 55 lakh and Sirmaur and Una Rs 25 lakh each.

DHARAMSALA: The Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and sitting MLA from Nurpur, Mr Rakesh Pathania, on Friday lashed out at the Congress for giving a political colour to the tragic death of Amar Singh of Jaunta village by projecting it to be a “starvation” death.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr Pathania, accompanied by residents of Jaunta village said the whole issue had been sensationalised by former PCC President, Mr Sat Mahajan, who has not even paid a visit to the bereaved family so far. “There is no mention at all of death due to starvation in the FIR lodged by the family of Amar Singh on May 14, when he had consumed poison.” Mr Pathania said.

He said the intentions of the Congress to make it a political issue became clear when after a week Mr Mahajan, termed it as death due to starvation.” The mother and wife of Amar Singh have allegedly confessed that they were exploited on the issue and made to give statements terming it as a starvation death, as they were told that this way they would get financial benefits from the government,” Mr Pathania claimed.

Joginder Singh, a distant brother of Amar Singh, said the reason, which could have driven Amar Singh to suicide, could be the land dispute he had with his mother.

Mr Pathania, who visited Jaunta on Friday, said on making inquiries it was found that he had not even registered himself under the IRDP families, which got various benefits and subsidies from the government.