"No govt helicopters deployed, relief lacking in Mani Mahesh Yatra area: Bharmaur MLA Janak Raj

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 29 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Bharmaur constituency, Janak Raj, on Friday, alleged that the ground situation in the Mani Mahesh Yatra area remains far from normal, with poor communication, inadequate relief, and no government helicopters deployed for rescue.
Speaking to ANI, Raj said some pilgrims stranded during the yatra have managed to return, bringing partial updates. Still, the full extent of damage to infrastructure and people cannot yet be assessed due to the ongoing network outage in the region.
"For over a week, people have been unable to contact their families. Many are unwell and have been raising slogans against the administration due to lack of drinking water. The authorities have failed to provide adequate food and water, forcing people to protest," he said.
Raj refuted the Deputy Chief Minister's recent statement in the Assembly, claiming it was "completely false."
He stated that the three helicopters currently stationed in Bharmaur are all commercial and have been ferrying pilgrims under a tender arrangement, not for relief operations.
"The government has not deployed even a single helicopter for relief so far," he alleged.
The MLA, along with Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, is travelling to Chamba and then to Bharmaur to assess the situation firsthand.
Appealing for calm, Raj urged people to remain patient, saying normalcy will take time to restore. He also appealed to all hydropower projects, private companies, and cement industries operating in the area to come forward and assist in rescuing stranded pilgrims.
Meanwhile, heavy monsoon rains continue to batter Himachal Pradesh, disrupting essential infrastructure and causing widespread hardship. According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), as of Friday morning, 633 roads, including two national highways, remain blocked, 1,333 electricity distribution transformers (DTRs) are out of service, and 524 water supply schemes stand disrupted across the state. (ANI)