Subdued I-Day in Himachal as state mourns rain deaths

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.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla hoisted the national flag at the Raj Bhavan campus.

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.

He also 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 six years.

Sukhu further 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 the honorarium given by the state government to the freedom fighters would be increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. Sukhu added that the honorarium of widows of freedom fighters would be increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.

The chief minister said more than 300 people have died this monsoon season, since June 24 till date and assured of all possible help from the state government.

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

The Himachal Pradesh government has prepared a long-term plan for disaster preparedness on which Rs 800 crore would be spent so that the side effects of such disasters could be reduced in the future, the chief minister added.

"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.