Leh council to seek Rs350 cr for rebuilding flood-hit infra
The newly-constituted Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, in consultation with the district administration has decided to submit a detailed proposal of Rs 350 crore to the state government for rebuilding the infrastructure damaged in the floods in August this year.
The proposal also comprises the provision of compensating the affected families which lost their loved ones, if any, in the floods. Of the total projected demand, Rs 100 crore is required to restore the damaged government infrastructure in the district.
“We have worked out a proposal of Rs 350 crore for rebuilding the damaged infrastructure (government as well as private) and compensation to the flood-affected families of the district. Leh suffered colossal damage to government and private infrastructure and its impact was quite high than what the district had witnessed in the 2010 flash floods that left 300 dead and thousands homeless,” said Prasanna Ramaswamy G, Deputy Commissioner, Leh.
Sonam Dawa Lonpo, Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), LAHDC, Leh, said the recent floods in Ladakh had caused extensive damage to public and government property.
“The council adopted a pragmatic approach to rebuild infrastructure in all affected areas. A comprehensive proposal in consultation with the district administration has been formulated,” Sonam Dawa said.
The state government had earlier released Rs 20 crore for the flood-affected Leh district under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) as an interim relief. It had announced to take up with the Central government the release of a package for Ladakh.
Official sources said 45 villages of Leh district were affected in the floods. As many as 105 residential houses were fully damaged, 158 residential houses were partially damaged and 227 non-residential houses were partially and fully damaged.
In addition, 3,829 kanals, 1,574 quintals of standing crop and 18,690 trees were damaged in incessant rain and cloudbursts in the district recently, they said.
The LAHDC, Leh, had said Rs 100 crore was required for restoring the government infrastructure in the district (Rs 30 crore for temporary and Rs 70 crore for permanent infrastructure).
“Although there was not much loss to human life in the recent floods, the floods flattened government and private property worth crores. The impact was quite high compared to the flash floods that hit Leh district on the intervening night of August 5 and 6, 2010,” a source said.
A proposal would be submitted to the state government which, in turn, will take up the matter with the Centre for early release of the funds, they added.
On August 16, 2010, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited Leh and promised the people that damaged houses would be constructed within two months. The Centre had also provided prefabricated structures to those rendered homeless.
