CPIM Demands National Disaster Declaration for Himachal Pradesh After Natural Calamity

Shimla, August 30: In light of the extensive devastation caused by the recent natural disaster in Himachal Pradesh, CPIM has urged the Congress-led government to appeal to the central government for a national disaster declaration in the state. The CPIM has also raised questions about the relief funds received from the center and has called for a joint meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to assess the collective losses incurred by the state and send a proposal to the center.

During a press conference in Shimla, Ongkar Shad, the State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), stated that their party has demanded a joint meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to collectively present the proposal to the center. This would enable all parties to speak in one voice and seek assistance from the center to mitigate the losses incurred by the state. So far, the state has not received any form of assistance from the central government, apart from the annual relief amount allocated under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The state urgently requires immediate assistance of ₹10,000 crore from the central government to overcome the damages caused.

CPIM emphasized that the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 should be amended to allow construction of houses on forest land. The party also called for an increase in the relief funds provided by the center under the SDRF. Rakesh Singh, a former MLA and CPIM leader, criticized the delay in declaring the recent calamity as a national disaster and highlighted the political undertones involved in the decision-making process.

“The state has suffered significant losses due to the disaster, and it is essential to collectively demand immediate assistance from the center without any delay,” said Singh. He praised Shanta Kumar, a BJP leader, for his efforts to rise above political considerations and advocate for assistance for the people of the state. Singh further noted that although the state suffered from the disaster on July 7, the central government modified the relief scheme under the SDRF on July 11, reducing the amount allocated for compensating affected homes, which was an unjust move. He stressed that the central government should either provide adequate compensation for the losses incurred in the state or immediately allocate the relief amount of ₹10,000 crore.