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Bolt from the blue An ITBP jawan searches for bodies at Ghanvi village on
Thursday. — Tribune
photo by S. Chandan
State to seek Rs 1,000 cr from Centre
Kangra, Hamirpur
‘No immediate relief for flash flood victims’
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Kokje undertakes aerial survey
BJP seeks natural calamity board
Cong panels to assess losses
Another bridge damaged
Water supply still not normal in capital
HPU Elections
Traffic curbs imposed in Hamirpur
Panel to check pollution
3 killed in accidents
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Bolt from the blue
Ghanvi (Rampur), August 16 More than two-thirds of the population has perished and in most cases the entire families have been wiped put. The death toll was high as people were forced to stay indoors due to heavy rain. A majority of the victims were women, school children and workers who had returned home early because of the downpour. The calamity struck without a warning. It was a huge mass of slush and rubble which hurtled down from the heights uphill Dharla village at a terrific speed, wiping out everything which came in the way, and left a trail of misery. Chander Singh, a local boy who was just returning after buying vegetables, saw parts of the houses flying in the air as the fast-moving muck hit the village like a high sea tide. The residents of Dharla heard a thunder-like sound as the rubble moved down from the seasonal nullah which normally does not carry much water even during a downpour. The fact that the calamity was confined to a small area indicated that it might have been caused due to a temporary blockade of the nullah by a landslip, impounding the storm water which suddenly gave way. The sliding mass of boulders and slush hit the village from two sides providing no time to escape. It was a pathetic situation with no one left to mourn the deaths in most cases. In fact, the administration is looking for dependents to distribute compensation. “We have given Rs 10,000 each to all affected people on the spot. However, the compensation in the case of death was Rs 1 lakh and it could not be given without establishing the identity of dependents as in most cases whole families have been wiped out”, explains deputy commissioner Tarun Kapoor. In one case 11 members of a family have perished and their next of kin would receive Rs 11 lakh as compensation. In such circumstances at times more than one claimants turn up and proper inquiries have to made before payment, he added. The administration was trying to get in touch with the management of the Himalayan Company, which has lost a number of workers in the tragedy. Most of its workers from are from outside the state and local people had no clue to their identity. A large number of people from the neighbouring areas of Sarhan, Kinnaur and Rampur came to the village to inquire about the welfare of their relatives living in Bhavi and Ghanvi villages. They were relieved to see that Ghanvi was unscathed by the flashed floods. The situation would have been worse if the flash floods had occurred in the Ghanvi khad on which the 22.5-MW hydro-electric project had been set up while another 8-MW project was coming up right across Bhavi village. Meanwhile, the rescue teams managed to recover three more bodies from the debris. With this, eight bodies have been recovered so far. While two victims were identified as Kulwinder Kumar, son of Devinder Kumar; and Vidya Devi, wife of Chander Singh, the third body of a woman was headless and mutilated beyond recognition. The sniffer dogs of the ITBP were proving a great help in locating the bodies trapped under the debris. The road leading to Ghanvi from Juri has been opened for light vehicles. The administration was hopeful of moving to the site by tomorrow heavy machinery required for removing the debris. It was a huge task as the heap of debris was spread over an area of two acres. So far, Rs 2.60 lakh had been distributed as relief to the affected families and a ‘langar’ was being organised for the affected families. “Those who have been rendered homeless and the residents of Dharla village, which falls in the danger zone, have been shifted to safer places,” he said. He said the Army had also put up five tents to accommodate people. A medical team had been stationed at Ghanvi. Water and electricity supply was normal in the affected area. Out of 52 missing persons, identity of 40 had been established. Chering Pati and Sagar Sain, who were reported missing earlier, had been found.
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State to seek Rs 1,000 cr from Centre
Shimla, August 16 He said the total damage assessed so far was Rs 850 crore but reports of more damage were still pouring in and this figure would go up. “An immediate relief of Rs 54 crore had been released by the government and 24-hour functional control rooms had been set up at all district headquarters,” he said. The Chief Minister said the government was considering providing satellite telephones to the district and local administration in the tribal and difficult areas where the communication network was not functional. The district administrations had been directed to furnish daily loss report to the headquarters. “The state will not wait for the calamity relief instalments from the Centre as money will be disbursed to the people from our own resources so that people can be given relief,” he said. Giving details of the loss the Chief Minister said so far 88 human lives, majority of them at the Ghanvi cloudburst site, had been lost. “Only seven bodies have been recovered so far though 52 persons are reported to be missing at Ghanvi,” he said. Efforts were on by the police, ITBP, CISF and home guards to retrieve the bodies from the debris. A committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to submit a report within a fortnight about the measures to be adopted to give relief to small and marginal farmers and contemplate a debt relief scheme for their benefit.
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Rain losses estimated at Rs 74.32 crore
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, August 16 As per information from the Revenue Department, the total loss to The PWD was estimated at Rs. 15.29 crore, Irrigation and Public Health Department (Rs. 9.46 crore), other government properties at the block level (Rs. 33.44 crore) and private property (Rs 4.38 crore).
At least, nine persons had lost their lives. As many as 783 houses had been completely or partially damaged. The maximum number of 396 houses had been damaged in Nurpur sub-division. Meanwhile, there were reports that the tribal belts of Chota Bhangal and Bara Bhangal were still cut off from the rest of the state. Hamirpur: The district administration has assessed the total loss at Rs 12.32 crore during heavy rain in Hamirpur district. As per the details given by the administration, rain claimed the lives of two persons, besides while 11 cattle. As many as 25 houses were damaged completely causing a loss of about 11 lakh while 134 houses were damaged partially with a loss of about Rs 60 lakh. The damage to public property has caused a loss of Rs 11.34 crore, besides extensive damage to standing crops.
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‘No immediate relief for flash flood victims’
Bilaspur, August 16 Addressing mediapersons at Ghumarwin near here, Dharmani said large number of villagers living on both sides of these Khuds and rivulets have become homeless. At least 1,500 bigha of crops and lands between Bumm and Ghumarwin have been destroyed and washed away. Dharmani said he had been raising question of canalisation of Seer Khud and he had always been given empty assurances from the government. He said he had been raising his voice against poor quality work on roads, bridges and
buildings in the Ghumarwin area, but the government had always ignored his demands for inquiry, which had in turn only encouraged corrupt officials and contractors resulting in
difficulties to people during such calamities. |
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Kokje undertakes aerial survey
Shimla, August 16 Expressing concern over the calamity, he directed the revenue authorities to shift the affected families to safer places. He said all possible efforts should be made to help victims come out of the shock. He directed that houses washed away due to the cloudburst should be constructed before the ensuing winter. Principal secretary (revenue) Prem Kumar, who accompanied the Governor briefed him about the relief and rehabilitation work being carried out at the site. Governor was accompanied by secretary (revenue) Diljeet Singh Dogra and secretary to the Governor J.P. Singh.
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BJP seeks natural calamity board
Nurpur, August 16 State BJP spokesperson Rajinder Rana said in a statement released here today that the government should ensure the release of special relief funds for the calamity board from the Centre so that the victims could get timely relief. He also advised Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to take up with the Centre the state’s demand for a special package for the loss estimated at Rs 1000 crore due to cloudbursts, flashfloods and landslides. Rana accused the government of remaining indifferent towards old bridges in the state which had been declared unsafe for heavy traffic by the PWD and the National Highway Authority of India. “Had the government taken requisite and precautionary measures, the people would not have endured hardship following the collapse of a number of bridges due to flashfloods in the state,” he asserted. |
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Cong panels to assess losses
Shimla, August 16 Addressing a press conference here today, state general secretary of the HPCC Kuldeep Rathore said the committees would submit reports on the damage caused in districts of Shimla, Kinnaur, Solan, Kangra and Hamirpur to the HPCC chief at the earliest. A.N. Vidyarthi would assess the damage in Shimla and Kinnaur, Kuldeep Rathore in Solan, Ranvijay Negi in Kangra and Ajay Mahajan in Hamirpur. He said Thakur had raised the issue of special relief package to Himachal in the Rajya Sabha and the issue would also be raised in the Lok Sabha. Rathore said all MPs from the state would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to seek special relief package to the state in view of the havoc wreaked by rain and cloudbursts. “The state government has assessed a damage of Rs 1,000 crore and the Centre should come to the rescue of the state,” he said.
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Another bridge damaged
Nurpur, August 16 Torrential rain that lashed the area on Wednesday morning flooded the rivulet that led to damaging of the retaining wall and cracks developed in the wing wall of the bridge. The bridge has been declared unsafe and the plying of four-wheelers banned.
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Water supply still not normal in capital
Shimla, August 16 Certain localities like Kasumpti, Vikasnagar, Panthaghatti, Chotta Shimla, Cemetery,
Chakkar, Boileauganj, Annadale, Kaithu, Jakhu and Bazar ward have not been receiving water for the past more than three days. The municipal corporation is catering to the requirements of the people through water tankers but with many areas not connected with road people have to carry water over long distances. Residents are still relying on hand pumps and bowris for meeting their drinking water requirements. While four of the five pumps at the Gumma pumping station have been made operational, the situation at the Ashwani khud is not so good. Very little pumping has been done due to the excessive silt content there. Mayor Narender Kataria said it would take another three days for the water supply to get normal as the water level in the reservoirs was very low. He added wherever it was possible some supply had been given but till pumping at both Gumma and Ashwani khad got normal it would not be possible to give supply to all areas daily. |
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12 in the fray for four posts
Tribune News Service
Shimla, August 16 After the filing of nominations, scrutiny and withdrawal, there are 12 candidates left in the fray for the four posts of president, vice-president, secretary and general secretary. As many as 18 candidates had filed their nominations but six of them later withdrew their candidature. While the SFI has put up Naresh, Anchal Guleria, Rajneesh Thakur and Rashmi for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary, respectively, the ABVP panel has the names of Ashish Chauhan, Kamal Kant, Pallavi and Rajni Kalia. The NSUI has Kush Sharma, Manoj Thakur, Hema Hasta and Rahul Chauhan as its candidates. The candidates filed their nominations accompanied by their supporters. All three main political outfits, SFI, ABVP and NSUI, took out processions in support of their candidates. At present, the SFI has control over the SCA as all four posts are held by its members. The HPU is considerate a stronghold of the SFI as it has had control over the SCA on maximum occasions. The polling for the student elections will take place on August 18 from 9.30 a.m to 2 p.m. "The counting of votes will start at 3 p.m the same day and the results should start coming in by 8 p.m," said Suresh Kumar, dean, students welfare and the chief election officer. With the university authorities ensuring strict implementation of the recommendations of the Lyngdoh committee, the campaigning has so far been peaceful. The police has deployed adequate cops at the Summer Hill police post and a constant vigil is being maintained in all eight boys’ hostels. The complete ban on participation of outsiders in the campaign is one of the major factors for normalcy on the campus. Nobody, who is not enrolled as a student, is allowed within the campus.
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Traffic curbs imposed in Hamirpur
Hamirpur, August 16 Hamirpur ADM H.S. Thakur said the entry of all vehicles would be banned between 7.30.a.m. and 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. from April 1 to August 31 and between 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. from September 1 to March 31. The entry of large vehicles would be allowed in the bazars from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the summer and from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. during the winter. |
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Panel to check pollution
Shimla, August 16 Member secretary, Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board will be the member convenor of the committee. Director (environment); deputy commissioner, Solan; chief executive officer, BBNDA; and general manager DIC, Solan would be the other members. The committee would visit the entire Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh area to assess the extent of pollution, analyse its various potential sources and suggest remedial measures. It would submit its report within one month.
— TNS |
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3 killed in accidents
Shimla, August 16 In the first accident, two persons — Roop Lal and Sunil Kumar — were killed when their truck fell into a deep gorge near Kuksthal in Kinnaur district. In the second incident, Naveen Gupta was killed when the car in which he was travelling fell into a gorge near Slappar in Mandi district.
— UNI |
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The fury of nature lasted a few minutes but it changed the face of Bhavi village and the life of its residents who survived the calamity.
Rescue operations continue in HP. In video: (
Governor V.S. Kokje today undertook an aerial survey of the cloudburst and flood-hit area of Rampur tehsil in Shimla district to assess the damage.
