Shimla, Aug 2 (PTI) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi urging him to allocate one bigha of land for the rehabilitation of disaster-affected families who have been rendered homeless and landless.
During the meeting, the chief minister apprised the Union Minister about the extensive losses incurred by the state due to recent cloudbursts and heavy rains. He highlighted damage to buildings, infrastructure, roads, bridges, water supply schemes, and residential properties, as well as the tragic loss of precious lives during the current monsoon season.
With 68 per cent of the state under forest cover, Sukhu emphasised the need to relax forest norms to facilitate the rehabilitation process.
Sukhu also discussed the issue of dredging in rivers and urged the Union Minister to issue necessary directions for the disposal of dredged material to prevent further disasters. He further stressed that separate norms should be formulated for hill states, keeping in mind their difficult topography and special needs.
He informed Yadav about the frequent recurrence of cloudbursts, leading to natural disasters and severe losses. He mentioned that the matter had been discussed with the Home Minister, and a team had visited the state to study the impact of climate change. PTI COR HIG HIG
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