Disaster response: LoP accuses Himachal govt’s of bias against Mandi

Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur accused the Himachal Pradesh government of negligence and insensitivity in handling the disaster in the Mandi district.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Thakur said the government failed in taking timely action and adequate relief efforts.

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He alleged that an executive engineer, who was performing effectively on the ground, was transferred due to pressure from some political leaders. “No senior officer has been posted in Mandi to oversee the situation. Affected areas have been left to patwaris, with no proper administrative presence,” he said.

Thakur questioned the logic behind Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s visit to the disaster-hit areas nine days after the incident and announcing only one crore rupees for relief. “The total damage is of over Rs 500 crore, the government’s response has been minimal. The chief minister has not even announced a special relief package,” he pointed out.

He said although the state promises Rs 7 lakh compensation for fully damaged homes, only four lakh comes from the state and three lakh from the Centre, and no official notification regarding this has been issued yet.

Thakur, alleging political bias in the government’s response, said since Mandi is his home constituency, the government is deliberately ignoring it. “The panchayati raj minister recently suggested shifting the Panchayati Raj Institute from Mandi, even though the institute has not been affected. Similarly, the Horticulture College project, for which our government had allocated Rs 10 crore and secured forest clearance, was scrapped by the current government. If it had been built, it could have served as shelter for many people during the disaster,” he said.

He warned that if Shimla suffers damage due to rain, the government cannot think of shifting the state capital. “This is not a solution. We need better disaster management, not escapism,” he added.

Thakur said the government is failing to provide necessary machinery like JCBs and is instead busy counting how many are at work. He also criticised the government’s immediate relief distribution, stating that affected families received only Rs 2,500, which is negligible. In comparison, the BJP and various social organisations have provided over Rs 7 crore worth of aid and relief material.

He advised the chief minister not to try to gain political mileage from the tragedy.

“I have been in Mandi for the last 20 days, working with people in difficult times,” he said.

Thakur also criticised Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi for his silence on the issue and urged the chief minister to take strict note of the minister’s indifference.