23 killed in MP hailstorm: Chouhan

Bhopal, Mar 9 (UNI) At least 23 people were killed and 102 injured in a hailstorm that lashed 30 districts in Madhya Pradesh early this week, destroying standing and newly-harvested crops spread over 720 villages, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said today.

About 1534 houses were damaged and 64 heads of cattle perished in the storm, he told reporters.

Referring to the ugly incidents in the Assembly with the Opposition seeking immediate discussion on crops damage, Mr Chouhan said the government was prepared to debate any issue on people's problems.

The CM had already directed the Chief Secretary to submit within seven days a report on the impact of the hailstorm and its extent adding the debate on the hailstorm was scheduled tomorrow.

Condemning the conduct of the opposition members in the Assembly, he said it was unparliamentary. ''It was a black day in the history of the Vidhan Sabha'', he said and termed the Opposition action as a ''publicity gimmick.'' UNI SP HS RN1546