Himachal Pradesh's Agriculture Losses Exceed Rs 83 Cr: Preliminary Estimates

The state of Himachal Pradesh has been hit hard by flash floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall over the past three days. Preliminary estimates suggest that agriculture losses alone have exceeded Rs 83 crore.

Chander Kumar, the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister of Himachal Pradesh, has appealed to the central government to declare the flood situation a national calamity and provide a special economic package for rescue and relief efforts. The scale of the devastation witnessed throughout the state is unprecedented. During a meeting held on Tuesday, Minister Chander Kumar revealed that a total of 28,495 hectares of agricultural land have been affected. Among these, vegetable crops covering 6,978 hectares have suffered losses surpassing Rs 40 crore.

Additionally, staple crops such as Maize, Paddy, Ragi, Millets, and Kharif Pulses have suffered a loss of approximately Rs 17 crore across 21,517 hectares. The damage caused by inundated farming land has been estimated at over Rs 26 crore.

Shimla district losses amounting to Rs 17.63 crore, while Sirmaur reports losses of Rs 13.29 crore. Solan, Lahaul Spiti, Kullu, Kangra, Una, Chamba, Bilaspur, Kinnaur, and Hamirpur have also suffered significant losses, with amounts ranging from Rs 5.74 crore to Rs 29 lakh.

Minister Chander Kumar emphasized the importance of promoting soil conservation to mitigate future disasters. He intends to encourage the adoption of soil conservation techniques and methods across the state. He cited the example of Shahpur constituency in Kangra district, where the proper channelization and diversion of the Gaj Khad, along with the implementation of soil conservation practices by residents of Rajol, Awadi, Ansui, and Deg villages, minimized the loss caused by recent heavy rainfall.

The minister has instructed deputy directors of the agriculture and animal husbandry departments to compile a comprehensive report detailing the extent of the losses in agriculture and livestock. This report will aid in the assessment of the overall impact and inform subsequent relief and rehabilitation efforts.

In light of the unprecedented devastation and the significant losses suffered by the farming community in Himachal Pradesh, Minister Chander Kumar has urged the central government to declare the flood situation as a national calamity and release a special economic package to assist with rescue, relief, and rehabilitation activities.