Amidst the widespread devastation caused by cloudbursts and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Mandi, visited the flood-hit Thunag subdivision in Mandi district on Sunday. The actress-turned-politician, along with Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, interacted with local residents and assessed the damage.
Ranaut shared her on-field report of the relief efforts undertaken by the Indian government and the administration in the flood-affected areas, particularly the Thunag subdivision. She acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that road connectivity was severely affected in Thunag and nearby areas. Despite these challenges, she assured that the government and administration are closely monitoring the situation and working to restore road connectivity. "Our teams are in every affected area. We have made committees in the affected areas, which have their chairpersons," Ranaut said.
According to Ranaut, the central government promptly initiated relief operations by deploying forces and providing immediate assistance. She also highlighted the local efforts to provide relief material to the affected families. Speaking to ANI, Ranaut emphasized her role as an MP, stating, "As an MP, it is my job to bring in funds and convey the ground reality to the government". She noted that the Prime Minister is aware of the situation and that the central government has taken action, even while he is on a foreign visit.
The Mandi administration has been actively involved in distributing essential supplies to the affected families. A spokesperson for the State Government reported that 1,317 food kits, each containing 5 kg of flour, 5 kg of rice, 1 litre of edible oil, 1 kg of salt, 1 kg of sugar, 2 kg of pulses, 100 gm of Haldi, 100 gm of Mirch powder, and 100 gm of tea, have been distributed in the disaster-stricken areas. Specifically, 197 food kits were made available in Thunag, 69 in Janjehli, 1,000 in Bagsaid, 40 in Dharampur, and 11 in the Chauntra area of Mandi district. An additional 160 food kits were dispatched to Janjehli and 176 to Thunag for further distribution among the affected families. There are 665 kits in stock that will be distributed as needed.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is personally overseeing the relief operations and has pledged full support from the state government to the affected families.
In addition to the efforts of the government and administration, a team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) conducted a field visit to a village in Panchayat Jarode to provide emergency assistance to residents in disaster-affected areas. The SDRF team surveyed the impacted areas, identified vulnerable individuals in urgent need of aid, and distributed relief materials, including basic need kits and medical kits. The team also assessed the medical conditions of several villagers and provided essential medicines on-site to those requiring immediate care.
Ranaut also criticized the Congress party's approach to relief work in the rain-affected Mandi region. She expressed her disappointment at the plight of the people who have lost loved ones and homes, emphasizing the need for immediate relief. "The relief and restoration works have to be done by the state government, and as an MP, I can only apprise the prime minister and the home minister about the situation and seek liberal assistance," Ranaut stated.
