DW BUREAU / Shimla

Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday announced it will give Rs 50,000 to each family affected by cloudbursts in Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts and paid its tributes to people killed in the tragedy.

It also decided to fill about 950 vacant posts across categories in government hospitals.

Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in Kullu's Nirmand, Sainj and Malana, Mandi's Padhar and Shimla's Rampur around July 31 midnight have claimed 22 lives so far, while rescue operations are underway to trace more than 30 missing, officials said.

The state cabinet in its meeting held here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced grants of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 per month as rental expenses in urban and rural areas to those whose homes were completely wrecked.

The money will be in addition to free ration, LPG refills, utensils, and bedding for a period of three months till October 31, it said.

Nod to create and fill 951 posts, including those of 50 medical officers and 700 nurses in Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Kangra district's Tanda, and Indira Gandhi medical College Shimla and Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialty in Shimla's Chamiyana was also given, the government said in a statement.

The cabinet approved an amendment to the Himachal Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2015, paving way for auctioning of private lands available for mining for extraction of minerals.

The amendment allows for a provision of 80 per cent of the annual bid amount to the land owners. Permission was also given for the use of machinery for mineral excavations in the riverbeds, with the depth of mining raised from existing one metre to two metres into the bed, the statement said.

A provision was made to allow removal of sand and gravel from agriculture fields up to the depth of two metres after every monsoon season under non-mining activity.
(editor@dailyworld.in)