The heavy rain and floods that have been wreaking havoc in Himachal Pradesh this monsoon have left more than 200 people dead and thousands displaced, with access to several areas cut off as over 1,200 roads have suffered damage due to landslides and erosion since July. 

Now, even as life and the economy in the Himalayan foothills struggle to limp back to recovery, the rain continues to batter the state – far from the lens of the mainstream media.

In this live episode of Newsance, we look at the calamity and the consequent destruction in Himachal Pradesh that lay bare the loopholes in government policies and development initiatives. It also spotlighted the role of rampant construction and hydroelectric projects in aggravating the crisis.

The widespread road damage has led to questions being raised over their quality and the use of scientific approach in their construction. Meanwhile, the despair looming over the state’s orchards has underlined the impact of climate change and the big corporates’ monopoly in Himachal’s agro-horticulture industry.

This and a lot more.