I-Day subdued in Himachal as state mourns deaths, damage caused by rains

Shimla: The 77th Independence Day on Tuesday was a low key affair in Himachal Pradesh with the traditional cultural programmes missing from official and district level functions as the state mourns the deaths and destruction caused by incessant rains.

The official state function was shifted from Manali to Shimla and it was presided over by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who hoisted the tricolour and inspected the parade.

Heavy rains have battered Himachal Pradesh over the past three days, triggering landslides and cloudbursts that blocked several roads and led to house collapse incidents. At least 53 people have died in the incidents.

Police and State Disaster Response Force which are engaged in rescue operations did not take part in the parade.

The chief announced to raise the honorarium for martyrs from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, an increase in daily wages of MNREGA workers from Rs 224 to Rs 240 and from Rs 280 to Rs 294 in tribal areas.

The chief minister announced a scheme with an outlay of Rs 50 crores to provide nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children up to the age of 6 years.

He also announced an increase in the procurement prices of apple, mango and litchi by Rs 1.50 to Rs 12 from Rs 10.50 under the market intervention scheme (MIS).

He said more than 300 people have died this monsoon season, since June 24 till date.

He said the government has responded boldly and with determination to the challenges posed by heavy rains, floods, landslides and damage to infrastructure.

"The loss and damage were grave and we are looking forward to liberal assistance from the Union government," he said, urging the Union government to immediately release relief funds.

Two more bodies were pulled out of the rubble of a collapsed Shiv temple in Shimla on Tuesday and rescuers feared 10 more bodies are still trapped there as the death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh since Sunday night rose to 53, officials said.

The number of deaths in the twin landslide sites in Shimla's Summer Hill and Fagli has risen to 16, they said.

Heavy rains battered Himachal Pradesh since Sunday, triggering landslides and cloudbursts that blocked several roads and led to house collapse incidents.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army along with police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) resumed rescue operations at Summer Hill around 6 am, Deputy Commissioner of Shimla Aditya Negi told PTI.

The rescue operations were suspended on Monday night following heavy rainfall.

A total of 16 bodies have been recovered since Monday, 11 at the Shiv temple and five at Fagli, he said, adding more than 10 people are feared still buried at the Shiv temple site.

The shrine was crowded, with devotees offering prayers on an important day of the holy month of Sawan when the tragedy struck at around 7:15 am.