Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his ministers will defer salaries and allowances for two months to help battle a financial crisis inflamed by devastating landslides, flash floods, and heavy rain in August, last year and this. He also called on all MLAs to take pay cuts too.
The hill state has been hit by a wave of flash floods and landslides over the past several months.
This month alone nearly 30 people have died, and as many are still missing, after floods triggered by cloudbursts in Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts. Between June 27 and August 9 over 100 died in rain-related incidents, including those in other districts, and damage was estimated at Rs. 842 crore.