Teaching to Resume Soon in Disaster-Hit Seraj: Education Minister Rohit Thakur Announces Rs. 16 Crore for Reconstruction of 109 Schools.
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur visited the disaster-affected Seraj region on Tuesday, inspecting several damaged educational institutions, including Nihri Sunah School and Degree College Lambathach. During the visit, the minister announced that the teaching process will be resumed soon in the affected areas and assured that reconstruction work will begin after the monsoon season.
He revealed that the recent natural disaster had severely affected the education infrastructure across the state, with 523 institutions damaged, including 109 schools completely destroyed. Mandi district alone accounted for 29 affected institutions, of which 22 are in the Seraj region.
Rs. 16 Crore Approved for First Phase of Reconstruction
To rebuild the 109 fully damaged schools, the Education Department has approved Rs. 16 crore under the first phase of reconstruction. The Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) has been assigned the responsibility of carrying out the construction work, which will begin immediately after the monsoon subsides, the minister informed.
Thakur stated that the total estimated loss due to the disaster in Himachal Pradesh stands at around Rs. 2,000 crore, with educational institutions accounting for Rs. 30 crore of the damage.
Reconstruction with Focus on Disaster-Resilient Planning
Addressing concerns about infrastructure vulnerability, the Education Minister emphasized that future school construction will be guided by joint site selection. A team comprising the Deputy Director of Education, Block Education Officer (BEO), and the nodal agency will ensure that new buildings are constructed away from disaster-prone areas, rivers, and seasonal streams.
He also shared plans to relocate students from fully damaged schools within a one-kilometer radius to nearby safe schools. For example, the primary school in Nihri will now operate within the premises of the senior secondary school in the area.
Lambathach College to Get Protective Wall Worth Rs. 6 Crore
A retaining wall will be constructed to protect Lambathach Degree College, with an estimated cost of Rs. 6 crore. Funding for this critical infrastructure is expected either through a World Bank project or will be included in the next fiscal year’s budget.
Road Restoration and Apple Harvest Support Ordered
Recognizing the compounded impact of road blockages in the hilly terrain, particularly for horticulturists, Thakur directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to expedite the restoration of damaged roads, enabling farmers to transport their apple harvests to markets on time.
He noted that the Apple Procurement under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) has already begun. Five procurement centers have been established in Seraj, with orders issued to open more centres in other regions based on demand.
Officials Present During the Visit
The Education Minister was accompanied by several dignitaries and senior officials during his Seraj tour, including:
- Former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sohan Lal Thakur
- Congress leaders, Jagdish Reddy, Naresh Chauhan, Mahesh Raj
- Dr. Amarjeet Singh, Director, College Cadre
- Ashish Kohli, Director, School Education
- Ramesh Thakur, SDM Thunag
- Yashveer Kumar, Deputy Director of Education
This comprehensive response by the state government is aimed at restoring normalcy in education and providing long-term resilience in disaster-hit areas, especially in vulnerable zones like Seraj.
