Shimla, Aug. 18 -- Relief operations in rain-ravaged Seraj assembly constituency sparked sharp exchanges in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly today, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur accusing each other over handling of disaster aid.
Chief Minister Sukhu told the House that Seraj, the constituency of Jai Ram Thakur, has already been included under the Central Relief Fund, with Rs 3 crore released from the State Relief Fund. He rejected allegations of scarcity of food in affected areas, adding that Deputy Commissioners and PWD engineers had been directed to provide machinery and food material immediately. He said the government had even removed a PWD Executive Engineer for delaying work and annou...