Priyanka Gandhi salutes the commitment of women voluntarily contributing in road restoration work in disaster-hit areas 

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and General Secretary of Indian National Congress, Priyanka Gandhi today visited village Deori of Drang assembly constituency of Mandi district to review the damages caused due to cloudburst and landslides in the region.  The duo also inspected the damage caused to the building of the Senior Secondary School at Deori besides the private property which got damaged during the rain fury.

While interacting with the people of the region, Priyanka Gandhi said that she has come to Himachal considering it as her duty to share the sorrows of her people. “I have a house in Himachal Pradesh and I consider it as my moral duty to be amongst my people during the hours of crisis”, she said, adding that we all are a family and we should stand by each other in such circumstances, sharing grief and ensure to do whatever we can for the people in distress.  

Priyanka Gandhi said that we all will overcome this disaster by working together, united, helping each other and moving forward holding hands. The way people of the State have courageously faced the disaster, is appreciable, she said. “I will certainly raise the issue with the Central Government to release a special package for the flood ravaged regions of the State” she said. On the way, Priyanka Gandhi also interacted with some women, voluntarily helping in the reconstruction of roads and appreciated their commitment and motivation for extending a helping hand and contributing during the crisis.

Instead of doing politics over the huge loss caused in Himachal, the Central Government should help Himachal generously so that relief can be provided to as many affected people as possible, she remarked.

The Chief Minister said that the Himachal government would provide sufficient assistance to those, whose homes have been completely or partially damaged due to the disaster in the state. Besides, adequate financial aid will be provided for the loss of livestock and crops.

Sh. Sukhu said that he met the Prime Minister in Delhi again and urged to declare Himachal’s calamity as a ‘National Disaster’. He said that the Himachal government was committed to help every disaster affected. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to all the donors including the people of the state for generously donating towards the disaster relief fund.

MP Pratibha Singh expressed her disappointment over not getting proper help from the Center. She said that the state government was helping the people with its limited resources and if there would have been sufficient assistance from the Central Government, it would have helped in providing relief to the people on a large scale.

Former Minister, Kaul Singh Thakur also detailed about the damages caused in his Drang assembly constituency.

State congress party in-charge, Rajiv Shukla, Member Zila Parishad, Champa Thakur, Congress leader and party candidate from Sarkaghat, Pawan Thakur, and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.