No guard of honour for VIPs for next 2 months, focus on relief work: Himachal CM tells cops

Shimla: Dignitaries in Himachal Pradesh will not be greeted with a guard of honour for the next two months. The state police has been told to focus instead on relief work after the devastating rains.

The state government has suspended the guard of honour till September 15, with Independence Day as the only exception, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in a statement issued here on Monday.

Guard of honour is given by the police to dignitaries, including the governor, the chief minister and Union ministers during their field visits in the state.

Police personnel should refrain from engaging in tasks such as guard of honour and focus their efforts solely to aid affected people, Sukhu said in the statement.

Emphasising the increased deployment of the police force in the ongoing rescue efforts, Sukhu said the decision aims to prioritise and streamline the state's resources to effectively address the aftermath of the floods.

The chief minister said the state government remained steadfast in its resolve to provide essential support to affected people.

Heavy rains, landslides and flash floods have damaged roads and other infrastructure as the state received 30 per cent of the total seasonal rainfall of monsoon in three days.

So far, 118 persons, including 79 in rain related incidents and 39 in road accidents, have died in the state since the onset of monsoon on June 24, as per the state emergency response centre. The state has suffered a loss to the tune of Rs 4,415 crore.