A six member deputation of Himalaya Niti Abhiyan representing several organizations submitted a report prepared by experts on causes and effects of recent natural calamity in Himachal Pradesh to HP Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Shimla on Friday.
Coordinator of the organization Guman Singh said, “We have demanded declaring the Himachal calamity as a National Disaster as it is very difficult to carry out rehabilitation and restoration work by the cash strapped state government and urged the Governor to take up this matter with the Central government.”
The six member deputation comprising Kulbhushan Upmanyu, Rattan Chand, Uma Mahajan, Sukh Dev Vishvapremi, Hassandeen besides Guman Singh, also demanded beefing up restoration and rehabilitation work in calamity affected areas, filing damage cases against power projects and the National Highway Authority of India for their alleged role in the natural calamity, giving more work to affected people through MGNREGA, abandon Shimla Urban Development plan and take long term effective steps for environment protection in the state by forming a policy for development of this part of the Himalayan region .”
The Himalayan Abhiyan Niti members said, “The expert committee report has been prepared on the basis of extensive research involving experts from different fields, traditional knowledge and webinars organized after the natural disasters in the state.”
