BJP seeks relief for disaster-hit as given to Tehri Dam oustees

Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, July 8

The BJP has demanded rehabilitation of disaster affected villagers on the model of Tehri Dam oustees and a compensation package on the pattern of the Kedarnath tragedy of 2013.

State BJP president Ajay Bhatt and Didihat MLA Bishan Singh Chufal, who visited the disaster-hit villages of Bastari, Udma and Pattharkot in Didihat subdivision, told reporters that the state government had failed to submit a solid proposal for a relief package from the Central government that is waiting for it. “The proposal for a rehabilitation package from the Centre needs to be formed on the pattern of the one given to the Tehri Dam oustees while the relief package in such incidents should be similar to what given to people affected by the Kedarnath floods in 2013,” said Bhatt.

He added the state government had assured the people of rehabilitation and relief but it was still to prepare a plan on the basis of a revenue survey of the affected villages. “The number of disaster affected villages, which was 350 till the Kedarnath tragedy in 2013, has now gone up to 500. These need a concrete proposal of rehabilitation,” said Bhatt.

He said the state government, which had till date not given land for installing a Doppler radar for accurate weather forecast in the region, was only fooling the disaster affected people by making tall promises about relief and rehabilitation. “It is due to the Centre’s initiative that Army, paramilitary forces and NDRF personnel were sent in time to the affected villages. At the same time, the state government failed to activate its disaster mitigation machinery even several hours after the tragedy at Bastari village in Pithoragarh on July 1,” said Bhatt.