Rs 2.5 crore allotted to each disaster-hit district of Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand government has allocated Rs 2.5 crore each for the development of infrastructural facilities in disaster-hit districts of the state.

A decision to this effect was taken by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat after he held consultations with the District Magistrates of Pauri, Chamoli, Tehri, Pithoragarh and Rudraprayag on Sunday to review the relief and rescue measures being undertaken in their areas over a year after the tragedy that killed thousands of people.

He sanctioned a fund of Rs 2.5 crore to each of them to carry out infrastructural development activities on priority basis, an official release said in Dehradun on Sunday. These districts were the worst-hit in the natural calamity last year.

Citing the loss of 24 lives in the recent spell of heavy rains across the state, the chief minister also asked the district heads to be alert and vigilant and undertake relief and rescue measures in affected areas on a war footing.

He asked them to take the warnings being issued from time to time by the MeT department seriously and prepare themselves accordingly.

Control rooms located in the district headquarters should be activated and the DMs should work to ensure better coordination among the army, para-military, police and air force personnel to deal with any disaster, Rawat was quoted as saying.

There has been a let up in heavy rains that claimed 24 lives in Pauri, Dehradun and Pithoragarh districts in separate incidents last week.