HP to provide insurance cover to heritage villages

Shimla, Nov 26 (UNI) To protect the heritage villages of the state from natural and other disasters, the Himachal Pradesh Government is considering to provide insurance cover to such villages.

The state government would identify the villages which are historical and of heritage importance and explore possibilities to provide insurance cover in participation with the residents to protect these villages from loosing their identity.

This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in his address to the fire victims of Solang heritage village in Kullu valley, where about 40 houses were gutted in a major fire due to electric short circuit yesterday.

Expressing concern over the increasing incidents of fire in villages, the Chief Minister said that during past several years a number of heritage villages had lost their identity due to devastating fire causing immense loss to the valuable possessions of the villagers besides wiping out the heritage structures which in itself were the monuments of traditional hilly architecture.

He said that Malana village happened to be one of such villages which had been devastated by the fire, depriving heritage lovers, scholars and foreigners of the pleasure of visiting such villages in the state.

The Chief Minister said that the state government would consider reconstruction of the ravaged houses of Solang village under Atal Awas Yojna and directed the district authorities to prepare a detailed project report for implementation on priority after observing all codal formalities.

The Chief Minister announced that Rs 25,000 would be provided to the affected families who had lost their entire house and possessions in the fire and Rs 10,000 to those who were partially affected.

He said that besides blankets and tarpaulins, free ration would be provided to the affected families for next two months by the state government.

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