Mandi: Tragedy Has Set Seraj Back by 25 Years, Says Jairam Thakur – Urges Government to Expedite Relief Work
Jairam Thakur, former CM and Leader of Opposition
Mandi, July 3:
Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Jairam Thakur, expressed deep anguish during a press conference on the devastating tragedy that struck his home constituency of Seraj. With visible emotion, he said, “Seraj has been pushed back by 25 years.” He added that the disaster has wiped out decades of development that he and the people of the region had painstakingly achieved over the past quarter-century.
Jairam Thakur detailed the extensive damage caused in areas like Janjehli, Jarol, Chyuni, Lambathach, Thunag, Bagsyad, Bara, Parwada, Thachi, Kuklah, and Bakhli. More than 30 people are still missing, and nine bodies have been recovered. The worst-hit is the village of Deji in Pakhrar panchayat, where 11 residents from a single village are unaccounted for. Over 500 homes and shops have been damaged, several bridges have collapsed, and many roads are so severely damaged they will need to be rebuilt entirely.
He acknowledged that NDRF and SDRF teams have reached Seraj and noted that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial survey and distributed relief materials after landing at Raingalu. However, Thakur criticized the pace of relief efforts, saying, “At the current rate, it could take two to three months just to return to normalcy.” He stressed that the situation demands urgent and large-scale intervention.
Thakur urged the government and administration to act with greater seriousness. He called for an increase in machinery, deployment of heavy equipment, and restoration of roads, electricity, and water supply on a war footing. He warned the state government that while he was refraining from strong criticism for now, he was closely monitoring the effectiveness of the relief operations.
He also thanked the Central Government for the support it has extended so far.
Present alongside Jairam Thakur were Mandi Sadar MLA Anil Sharma, Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar, Balh MLA Inder Singh Gandhi, Mandi BJP District President Nihal Chand Sharma, and several other BJP leaders.
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