Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government is considering providing subsidies on devices that can protect crops from wild animals.
These devices may include sound and light systems, he added, while responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Anuradha Rana during Question Hour in the Assembly on Monday.
The Chief Minister informed that at present, compensation is provided only for losses caused by wild animals to human beings, such as death, serious injury, or other physical harm. Relief is also given in cases where domestic animals are killed by wild animals.
Replying to another question from BJP MLA Reena Kashyap, the Chief Minister said he had met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and requested that the Chhailla–Neripul–Sanaura road be included under the Central Road Fund (CRF) and that an alternative route be developed.
He pointed out that this road often gets blocked during the apple season and monsoon due to frequent landslides, though otherwise, traffic flows smoothly.
Sukhu added that the Superintendent of Police, Sirmaur, along with other officials, has been directed to strictly monitor the movement of heavy vehicles on this route.
Reena Kashyap highlighted that large trucks with more than ten tyres cause major disruptions and damage to bridges on this road, which have a load capacity of only nine tonnes. She demanded that heavy vehicles be restricted from using this route. In response, the Chief Minister assured that the road has already been proposed under the CRF, and once approval is granted, work on strengthening it will begin soon.
Answering Congress MLA Kuldeep Rathore’s query, the Chief Minister said that land has been identified at Bharada in Kumarsein for the construction of a new police station building.
At present, the police station is operating from a rented private building.
The land is being transferred from the Education Department to the Police Department, and construction will commence once the transfer is completed, he stated.
In reply to a question from BJP MLA Bikram Thakur, the Chief Minister said that during the past two years, 35,240 saplings have been planted across the state under Van Mahotsav programmes.
A total of Rs 32.8 lakh was spent, including Rs 14.9 lakh on plantation activities and Rs 17.8 lakh on organizing the festivals, he
informed.
He further said that the survival rate of the saplings is between 60 and 100 percent, and their upkeep and monitoring are being handled by field staff.