Last Updated: July 18, 2023, 20:57 IST
People stand by a road washed away by the River Beas swollen due to heavy rain in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh last week. (AP)
Apple growers in Himachal Pradesh have faced massive losses owing to the rain. The tourism industry, too, has been badly shut, with most businesses shut down
Himachal Pradesh is staring at staggering losses towards tourism and its mainstay crop apple owing to the heavy rain.
Initial estimates have revealed that apple growers have suffered huge losses over the past one week, with Rohru and Jubbal sub-divisions, two main apple growing areas of the state, reporting a loss of over 30,000 apple trees. Worse, the region continues to report land erosion.
Officials claimed Rohru region alone has seen a loss of over 15,000 apple trees. An equal number of trees has been damaged in Jubbal region too. The local administration is trying to find how many orchards have been swept away by erosion and landslides.
Dimple Chauhan, a local orchardist from Jubbal, said that destruction caused by cloudbursts and landslides has been unprecedented. “Orchards and farms on the slopes have seen maximum damage. The losses we are looking at are huge,” he told News18.com.
Revenue officials claimed that 30-40 per cent growers have suffered significant damages due to the rain in Jubbal alone. Apart from Rohru and Jubbal, losses are mounting even in Kinnaur, the other major apple growing district. Ribba in Pooh block, where a flash flood flattened the orchards, is the worst-hit.
The tourism industry, which is the lifeline of the state, too, is feeling the impact. The high-density tourist centres of Kullu and Manali have been badly affected. The room occupancy of hotels in Kullu-Manali is down to almost zero, as various commercial and homestays have been swept away.
Not just big hotels and resorts, even small-time vendors, who saw good business, are facing losses.
Hotel industry operators claimed that apart from hoteliers, home stay owners, taxi operators, tea sellers, roadside vendors and local businessmen have been impacted. Many hotels have been shut down by owners and employees of hotels have been sent on leave until the situation improves.
