SHIMLA:  As Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a high death toll of 258 people with losses hovering over Rs 1367.33 Crore, Government of India has constituted a Central team led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs Sunil Kumar Barnwal to take stock of the damage caused by natural calamities in the state.

The state government had requested the central government to send an inter-ministerial central team on 23^rd August, 2022.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority, the  Central Government has decided to send the teams in first week of September, whereas earlier the Central team used to visit the state only after the end of the Monsoon.

Timely assessment of the damages caused by natural calamities will enable the state to get additional central assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund and adequate relief assistance could be provided to the disaster affected people in the state.

He said that many incidents of heavy rains, landslides and cloudbursts have occurred in the state during the current Monsoon, in which 258 people lost their precious lives and 10 people are still missing.

Due to this calamity, 270 cattle were killed and 1658 residential houses, shops, gaushalas and gharats etc were damaged. National highways, rural roads, drinking water schemes and power projects have also suffered heavy damages during this period.

He said that a loss of Rs. 1367.33 crore has been assessed so far in the state during this Monsoon season and process of assessment is going on continuously.