Displaced by rain disaster, many in Shimla haven’t received full aid to build homes even by Diwali

The Newz Radar

SHIMLA: As the monsoon wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, leaving thousands homeless due to collapsed houses, the state government announced a rehabilitation package to assist those affected. However, the disbursement of funds remains pending, leaving many waiting for the much-needed support to reconstruct their dwellings. The wait for monsoon has stretched up to Diwali.

Shimla district suffered significantly, with 386 houses completely destroyed and 2,034 partially damaged, comprising both pucca and kutcha houses. The government has earmarked Rs 7 lakh for families with completely damaged houses, yet the affected have only received a partial amount, awaiting the awaited first installment of Rs 3 lakh under the rehabilitation plan.
Jyoti Rana, ADM Shimla, said the government was committed to helping those affected. An initial amount of Rs 1.30 lakh was released to people. A grant of Rs 22 crore will soon be allocated to provide relief to the affected families.

However, families left homeless due to collapsed houses built on government land have yet to receive compensation, despite governmental discussions about their settlement. In Krishnanagar, 11 families found temporary shelter in houses constructed under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme. These families demand permanent allocation of these homes and implore the government to safeguard houses at risk of collapse due to land subsidence.
Local councilor Bittu Pana highlighted the plight of these families, mentioning the government’s reluctance to compensate for damaged houses on government land, despite earlier provision of utilities. He urged government intervention to aid these homeless and economically disadvantaged citizens.