LoP accuses Himachal govt of apathy during visit to disaster-hit Chamba

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday visited disaster-affected regions of Bhattiyat and Dalhousie constituencies in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, where he met families hit by recent calamities and assessed the situation on the ground.

He said the disaster had caused widespread devastation, not only to infrastructure but also to the lives of common people. Several houses had been washed away, orchards destroyed, and livestock lost.

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Many families whose homes were partially damaged now find them uninhabitable.

He stated that victims had alleged a lack of cooperation from the administration.

“Any negligence or discrimination towards the disaster-hit will not be tolerated,” he asserted.

Thakur urged affected families to keep a close watch on the functioning of officials and inform him of any bias so that such issues could be raised before the government.

He assured them that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stood firmly with all affected families and would continue to do so.

Addressing officials, the Thakur directed them to provide relief strictly according to the actual needs and losses of the victims, and not to yield to unnecessary political pressure.

He emphasized that the financial assistance being sent by the Central Government must reach the truly affected rather than influential people.

During his visit, Thakur interacted with residents of Kakira, Tanu Hatti, Mel, and Kakkar in Bhattiyat, and later addressed a public meeting at Simdi in Dalhousie constituency.

He said that wherever he went, he found a long list of grievances. Many villages are under threat due to land subsidence, yet the government’s presence is missing.

“In some places even the local patwari has not visited, and in others, senior officials are not listening to the complaints,” he said, adding that administrative apathy was preventing timely relief to those in need.

He stressed that relief loses its meaning if not delivered promptly during a disaster.