New Delhi, Aug 2 — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday sought urgent intervention from the Centre to facilitate the rehabilitation of families displaced by recent natural disasters. In a meeting with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Sukhu requested the allocation of one bigha of land per family and a relaxation of forest norms, citing the state’s high forest cover and widespread destruction caused by cloudbursts and torrential rains.
Apprising the Union minister of the extensive damage to life and infrastructure, Sukhu said the state has suffered significant losses this monsoon, including damage to residential buildings, roads, bridges, water supply systems, and other public utilities. He stressed that with 68% of Himachal Pradesh under forest cover, existing forest clearance norms have become a hurdle in rehabilitating affected families.
The Chief Minister also raised concerns regarding dredging in rivers and urged the Centre to frame guidelines for proper disposal of dredged material, warning that unchecked accumulation could trigger further disasters. He advocated for separate norms for hill states, citing their challenging topography and unique developmental needs.
Sukhu highlighted the increasing frequency of cloudbursts and climate-related disasters, which have devastated communities in recent years. He noted that the matter had also been raised with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and that a central team had visited Himachal Pradesh to assess the impacts of climate change.
“The need of the hour is a flexible and responsive policy framework that enables swift rehabilitation in disaster-prone hill states,” Sukhu said after the meeting.
