SHIMLA: Heavy rains in some parts of Himachal Pradesh during the current monsoon have caused massive damage to crops and property and the loss till date has been pegged at Rs 567.32 crore, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today.
Presiding over a review meeting to assess the loss and damage due to heavy rains, Singh directed the concerned authorities to immediately restore the link roads and bridges in interior areas and ensure that vehicular movement was not hampered due to road blockades in the apple belt.
He directed that adequate money should be provided to find a permanent solution to landslides on Kiratpur-Manali National Highway near Hanogi and keep the road open during monsoons.
The Roads and Bridges suffered maximum damage and the loss was pegged at Rs 396 crore, followed by Irrigation and Public Health Rs 99 crore, State Electricity Board Rs 70 crore, community and government assets Rs 3.17 crore, Agriculture and Horticulture departments Rs 4.29 crore and Rs 15.86 crore.
It was informed at the meeting that all the irrigation and drinking water supply schemes had been restored temporarily and work to repair them permanently was underway.
A sum of Rs 106.40 crore had been distributed to all districts and line departments to immediately take up relief measures and provide succour to the people who have suffered losses.
Additional Chief Secretary, PWD, Narinder Chauhan briefed that all the roads blocked due to landslides were restored within hours.
As many as 166 roads and three bridges were washed away, 1426 rural water supply schemes, 580 irrigation schemes, 30 urban water supply schemes, 15 flood protection works and 16 sewerage schemes were affected and all were temporarily restored.
A total of 146 structures were fully damaged, 547 Kuchha and Pucca houses, 12 cowsheds, 20 Water mills (Gharats) and 20 shops were also damaged and the loss was estimated at Rs 8.19 crore.
The rain deficit was 17 per cent from June 1 to August 17, 2016 against 11 per cent on the same day last year.
The rain related incidents have claimed 29 lives so far.