Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Sep 10 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government has dispatched 37 trucks loaded with 28 types of essential relief materials to disaster-affected Himachal Pradesh, where devastating floods and landslides have left thousands homeless.
Of these, 26 trucks reached Kondwal in Kangra district on Wednesday, while the rest were on their way. The supplies will be distributed in Chamba and other affected regions.
UP Minister Jaswant Singh Saini personally accompanied the convoy to Himachal, where the relief materials were formally received by Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, BJP state president Rajeev Bindal, former Assembly Speaker Vipin Parmar, BJP leader Sanjay Guleria, former MLA Rita Dhiman, along with other state leaders.
Representatives from the Red Cross, including Devendra Kumar from Uttar Pradesh, Red Cross management member Neeraj Maheshwari and member Deepak, were also present on the occasion.
The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier contributed Rs 5 crore to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Now, in addition to the monetary support, 28 categories of relief supplies have been dispatched in 37 trucks.
These materials will be sent further to flood-affected districts, including Chamba, for distribution among displaced families.
Speaking to reporters, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur expressed gratitude towards the Yogi Adityanath government, saying, “On behalf of the people of Himachal Pradesh, I want to express my gratitude to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, who contributed Rs 5 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund during this time of disaster.”
Along with this, he said, UP CM Yogi also sent a large consignment of relief materials for directly aiding the affected people.
“Himachal will always remember this support of the Yogi government in this hour of disaster. The disaster has spoiled the face and character of the state, and many families have become homeless. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced Rs 1500 crore during his visit, which is the biggest support till date,” Jairam Ramesh added.
UP Minister Jaswant Singh Saini emphasised that the tragedy in Himachal has caused immense destruction, and the government of Uttar Pradesh is committed to supporting the affected population.
“Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has contributed Rs 5 crore and sent a large consignment of relief materials to Himachal Pradesh to support those affected by the disaster. The supplies will benefit families, livestock and those in need,” Saini said.
He also mentioned that the 37 relief trucks include 28 types of materials of daily use and assured that more help will also be sent if needed.
Himachal BJP chief Rajeev Bindal welcomed the relief, stating, “This support of the Yogi government is a big relief for the disaster-affected people. This disaster in Himachal is unfortunate, and the state will always remember the huge amount of relief material sent by the Uttar Pradesh government in this hour of crisis.”
“We extend our heartfelt welcome to Minister Saini and his team, who brought 26 trucks carrying 4,800 relief kits sent by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the disaster-affected people of Himachal Pradesh,” he added.
This assistance from Uttar Pradesh follows a similar move by the BJP-led Haryana government, which had dispatched relief materials to Himachal on Tuesday.
The combined help from both states comes at a time when many districts of Himachal Pradesh are reeling under massive devastation, with thousands of families forced to leave their homes.
–IANS
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