SHIMLA: Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today flagged off four Force Gurkha Vehicles to district Lahaul and Spiti to deal with the rescue operations, maintenance of law and order mainly in the winter season for quick response during snowfall and other calamities.

These vehicles have been donated by ICICI Foundation under the CSR.

The Chief Minister said that these vehicles will be effective in the areas, where temperature goes zero degree to minus 30 degrees as these vehicles have Mercedes engines and good ground clearance to match the adverse climatic conditions of the area.

He said that incidents of flash floods and avalanches are very common in the district, which causes inconvenience to the general public and also many times people get stranded in such conditions.

Therefore, these vehicles will be very helpful in mobilizing force and other rescue equipments in time to speed up rescue operations thereby saving many precious lives.

MLA Ravi Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for providing these vehicles for Lahaul-Spiti district, which show the concern of the Chief Minister towards the people residing in the remote areas of the State.

He said that the matter was taken up with the Chief Minister during his recent three day visit to the Spiti valley and the demand has been met.  He said that the people of Spiti valley were grateful to the Chief Minister for his kind gesture.