Months after more than 1,000 people fell ill following an outbreak of a water-borne disease in Hamirpur's Nadaun, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday announced the discontinuation of bleaching powder for disinfecting drinking water.
Sukhu said that the ultraviolet radiation will now be used to check the spread of water-borne diseases like jaundice and diarrhoea, cases of which have been witnessed in Shimla in the past and in Hamirpur's Nadaun recently.
As many as 1,112 people had fallen ill due to diarrhoea following the outbreak in January and over 50 villages were affected in Hamirpur.
Sukhu represents the Nadaun assembly constituency.
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The chief minister also informed that towns near water bodies would be given round-the-clock water supply.
Addressing the press conference on the completion of 100 days of his government in office, Sukhu said, our first budget, which was scheme-based, has given direction to the state that was facing a financial crunch.
Sukhu claimed that by reducing the time of tendering process from 90 to 20 days, speedy forest clearances and work on schemes aimed at the welfare of the poor are being done.
“We are here to bring change in the system and welfare of the state. Resource mobilisation is our top priority,” he said.
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The decision to make Kangra as the tourism capital of the state is based on a study conducted to increase tourist inflow in the state as maximum water is available there and visitors are also inclined towards visiting Kangra, he said.
The chief minister informed that two heliports will come up at Kangra, one in Rakkar and the other near Palampur.
Sukhu said a study is also being conducted for tourism promotion in Chamba’s Pangi, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts.
The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) will start the process of conducting examinations scheduled by the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC) in ten days for 2,000 posts and the results of the exams, held in the past in which no irregularities have been found, would be declared, he said.
The state government in February dissolved the Hamirpur-based Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC), whose functioning was suspended after the recruitment exam paper for junior office assistants was leaked in December.
Sukhu said the state government will collaborate with big industries in the green hydrogen sector, and tenders for six green corridors will be built in six months
A fleet of 1,500 diesel buses of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will be replaced in three years, the chief minister informed.
-With PTI Input
