Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Himachal Pradesh and Punjab today to assess the flood situation and review relief and rehabilitation efforts in both states. The Prime Minister will reach Dharamshala in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh this afternoon. In Dharamshala, Mr Modi will chair a high-level review meeting with state authorities and interact with local residents affected by the disaster. He will also meet personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Aapda Mitra teams working on the ground. Mr Modi will also undertake an aerial survey of the flood and landslide-hit areas of Himachal Pradesh.
All preparations have been completed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Himachal, and tight security arrangements have been put in place in Dharamshala and its adjoining areas. At Gaggal Airport, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, and members of the Cabinet will be present to welcome the Prime Minister. During his visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also hold a review meeting with the state government in Dharamshala regarding the damage caused by the disaster in Himachal. Chief Minister said that in this meeting with the Prime Minister, the state government will present a detailed presentation on the disaster so that Himachal can receive a relief package.
After Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Punjab. Mr Modi will reach Gurdaspur around 4.15 pm and hold discussions with senior officials and chair a review meeting on the ground situation. He will also interact with flood-affected people as well as NDRF, SDRF and Aapda Mitra Team in Gurdaspur. The Prime Minister’s direct review is aimed at closely monitoring relief and rehabilitation efforts to support the people of the two states during this difficult time.
With the never-say-die spirit, Punjab is inching back to normalcy after facing the severest floods in decades. The situation is continuing to impact several districts with fresh updates indicating an increase in both human and crop losses. It has affected over 3.87 lakh people in 15 districts, with a crop loss reaching 1.84 lakh hectares. More than 23,000 have been evacuated, 51 have also lost their lives, maximum in Amritsar, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Barnala. As the relief and rescue operations have been intensified, Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has said that to get relief from floods, we must move closer to Nature and leave floodplains for the rivers. He cautioned that society will have to be prepared to face the challenges posed by climate change.