CS Prabodh Saxena has confirmed that the situation in Chamba district, particularly around the Manimahesh pilgrimage route, is under control and that all pilgrims are safe. He appealed to the public to refrain from believing rumors and to rely only on verified official communication.
While chairing a high-level review meeting to assess the ongoing monsoon challenges, especially in Chamba, Kullu, and Lahaul-Spiti, the Chief Secretary stated that continuous rainfall, landslides, and cloudbursts have caused significant disruption, but timely intervention by the administration has helped prevent major mishaps.
In Chamba, the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police are stationed in Bharmour, overseeing 24×7 disaster relief operations. Approximately 3,000 pilgrims stranded en route to Manimahesh are being provided boarding, lodging, and medical aid. Additionally, around 10,000 people are temporarily stuck in Chamba town due to landslides between Bagga and Durgathi on the Chamba–Bharmour road.
He assured that if required, essential supplies would be airlifted to affected areas such as Bharmour. Telephone connectivity has already been restored in Chamba town and is expected to resume soon in Bharmour. In Lahaul-Spiti, partial mobile network connectivity has been re-established through Jio, and the electric sub-station at Thirot is now operational.
To expedite relief and restoration efforts, Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Pathania, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi are either en route or scheduled to visit Chamba. The Chief Secretary has also directed the DGP, officials from PWD, HPSEBL, and DoT, along with senior police officers and the Divisional Commissioner, Kangra, to remain stationed in Chamba and Bharmour until normalcy is restored.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that the focus remains on evacuation, safety, and early restoration of essential services. He also reviewed the ongoing situation in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti and instructed the district administrations to intensify relief and repair efforts.
The meeting was attended by DGP Ashok Tiwari, ACS (Home) K.K. Pant, Secretary to CM Rakesh Kanwar, and senior officers from various departments involved in disaster management and infrastructure.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
