Speed up assessment to seek central help: Omar to officials
Srinagar, Sept. 23 -- Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday ordered officials concerned to speed up the flood damage assessment process so that a proposal can be submitted to the central government for a comprehensive restoration package. He gave directions during a meeting to review post-flood relief and restoration measures, officials said.
The recent floods left 151 people dead and 33 are still missing and caused massive losses to government and private infrastructure especially in Jammu division, officials stated.
"The permanent restoration of infrastructure and restoration of livelihoods would be taken up on a war footing once a comprehensive package is approved by the central government," the chief minister said.
He (CM) also reviewed the safety audit of schools undertaken after the floods, calling for the certification process to be fast-tracked, the official spokesman said. Omar expressed concern over damage to the historic Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex in Jammu.
Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar informed that land subsidence along the circular road had damaged the backside of the complex, underscoring the need for urgent protective measures. "Housing losses were severe, with more than 4,200 homes fully damaged and over 8,600 partially damaged, the worst-hit districts being Udhampur and Jammu. Livestock losses stood at 1,455 and crops over 1,300 hectares were damaged," he said. He said that the restoration work is underway across sectors, with over 2,700 km of roads and more than half of the damaged bridges already temporarily restored.
Kashmir divisional commissioner Anshul Garg informed that losses in Kashmir division included 16 houses which were fully damaged, 57 severely damaged and 791 partially damaged, with relief already disbursed in all cases.
He said that nearly 90-km roads were affected across 279 road stretches, of which 52 were restored while the rest were under repair. "Eighty-seven bridges and culverts were also damaged, with more than half already restored. A breach in the Jhelum at Zoonipora, Shalina in Budgam is currently under repair. In the power sector, over Rs.9.34 crore has been proposed for the restoration of damaged poles, conductors and transformers. Out of 563 affected water supply schemes, 385 have been fully restored, while the work is underway on the rest. Safety audits have been conducted on 115 school buildings, with certificates already issued for 43 schools," he informed.
The Kashmir divisional commissioner said that more than 12,500 hectares of land were affected and nearly 315 hectares in horticulture impacted, primarily in Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama, districts with estimated losses of about Rs.59 lakh.
The J&K cabinet will be meeting on Tuesday to discuss several issues, especially the upcoming assembly session. The cabinet meeting will be chaired by chief minister Omar Abdullah and will be attended by all five ministers.
The meeting will be held at a time when the National Conference government is about to complete its first year in the office. The cabinet will give a go-ahead to summoning of the assembly session as per the reorganisation Act. The assembly needs to be summoned before October 25. "The session is likely to be called in the first or mid week of October," a senior officer said. The session is expected to be noisy in the backdrop of the arrest of Doda legislator Mehraj Malik, booked under PSA....
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