Himachal Pradesh has sought financial assistance of ₹ 3,525 crore in losses caused by disasters this monsoon season from the Centre.
The assessment followed a comprehensive exercise undertaken by the state and visits by a team of the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) to disaster-affected and vulnerable areas. It assigned the inquiry to the committee, which was created for an altogether different forest case about two decades ago. The committee was looking into a range of issues, including recurring natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, tourism pressure and the carrying capacity of ecologically sensitive destinations. “The committee is discussing with different departments how to maintain a balance between ecology, conservation and development in Himachal Pradesh. Rana expressed hope that its findings would lead to further action by the Centre and the Supreme Court, including additional financial assistance and the introduction of new technologies to protect the Himalayan landscape and its ecosystems.
The state has submitted an assessment of approximately ₹ 3,525 crore in disaster-related losses to the Centre.
“We hope the government of India will release the funds soon so that repair, recovery and reconstruction work can begin immediately in the affected areas,” said special secretary, disaster management, Himachal Pradesh, Pushpendra Rana on Friday. “We showed the team different locations across Himachal Pradesh where disaster-related incidents had occurred and where areas remain vulnerable” he said, adding that the losses covered damage to infrastructure, houses, electricity and power facilities, bridges and other public assets, besides the hardships suffered by local communities. Rana said a Supreme Court-empowered committee was visiting different parts of Himachal Pradesh and holding discussions with various departments to examine how ecological conservation could be balanced with development activities in the Himalayan region. In July 2025, the Supreme Court warned that Himachal Pradesh could “vanish in thin air from the map of the country” if unregulated development continued. The issues include disasters, carrying capacity, tourism exceeding the limits of certain destinations, landslides, cloudbursts and other events affecting the Himalayan landscape,” he said.
