Anantnag/ Kulgam/ Shopian, Sep 8: A high-level seven-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) deputed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to review the relief and restoration measures in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday visited south Kashmir’s Anantnag, Kulgam, and Shopian districts to assess the damage caused by recent heavy rainfall and natural calamities in the twin districts.
In Anantnag, the team held a brief meeting with the district administration to discuss the relief and rehabilitation measures being implemented in the district.
During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Anantnag, Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid, presented a detailed briefing to the team covering the extent of damages, relief measures undertaken like evacuation of vulnerable families, provision of temporary shelters, restoration of connectivity, and health and sanitation interventions, as well as the requirements for long-term rehabilitation.
During the meeting, a comprehensive plan for flood mitigation and resilience-building was also discussed to strengthen long-term disaster preparedness in the district.
The IMCT, along with district officials, thereafter conducted a spot visit to various affected areas to assess damages on the ground, including river embankments, roads, streams, and public infrastructure, besides reviewing immediate restoration priorities.
The IMCT, during the visit, highlighted that the Centre was closely monitoring the situation at the highest levels and would extend full financial and logistical support for relief, rehabilitation, and long-term mitigation measures in Anantnag district.
The IMCT also visited Kulgam and held a review meeting to take stock of relief, rehabilitation, and restoration measures in the aftermath of recent floods in the district.
During the meeting, the team took a detailed assessment and review of damages caused by recent floods, cloudbursts, and landslides in the district.
The team comprised of Joint Secretary and Advisor (Ops and Comm), NDMAl, Col K P Singh; Regional Officer, MoRTH Jammu, Navin Kumar Chauraisa; Deputy Director Ministry of Power, Arti Singh; Joint Director, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Vikram Singh; Director Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shachi Jain; Deputy Secretary FCD, Kandarp V Patel, and Under Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Rakesh Kumar.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, Athar Aamir Khan; senior officers of the district administration and engineers from key departments like PWD (R&B), Jal Shakti, Irrigation and Flood Control, KPDCL, PMGSY, and senior officers of Health, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, FSC, and Revenue departments.
During the meeting, DC Kulgam presented an overview of the recent flood situation in the district.
Addressing the officers in the meeting, the IMCT said that the observations and recommendations, as well as the damage report, would be shared with the Centre to ensure immediate relief as well as long-term resilience planning for the district.
Later, the IMCT also visited various flood affected areas of the district, including Khudwani and Qaimoo to gather on-ground assessment of the damages caused.
The team also interacted with the general public and took stock of their demands and suggestions.
They assured the locals that these observations and suggestions would be shared with the Centre to ensure immediate relief as well as long-term resilience planning for Kulgam district.
The IMCT also held a review meeting to assess the damages caused by recent floods and incessant rainfall across the Shopian district, as well as relief and rehabilitation measures carried out by the district administration.
Deputy Commissioner (DC), Shopian, Shishir Gupta, presented a detailed assessment of damages suffered in the Shopian district before the IMCT members.
During the meeting, DC Shopian gave a detailed presentation covering the disaster preparedness framework.
He informed the team that Shopian, spread over seven tehsils, although comparatively less vulnerable to floods than other districts, had suffered damages to public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water supply schemes, power assets, standing crops, and houses of lower riparian villages in Zainapora subdivision.
The DC Shopian also briefed on the immediate restoration of services which were disrupted during floods, and relief and rescue measures carried out in the district.
He informed the IMCT that in Shopian district, two out of the six major 33 KV lines, 16 feeders, 13 transformers, and 19 electric poles were affected and had been restored; 55 out of 92 drinking water supply schemes were impacted and all had been restored, 25 roads were damaged of which 24 were restored and one was under restoration besides PMGSY road length of about 860 metres was damaged.
The DC also apprised the IMCT that Mughal Road at 24th km witnessed severe damage due to sliding, and efforts were on to keep it open 24×7.
He said that 28 villages in low lying areas covering 4284 hectares with a population of 17,200 were impacted, four villages – Hydergund, Zainapora, Melahura-Wandina, and Reshipora – were directly hit, 21 shelter sheds were established, 129 families evacuated, and 644 persons rescued.
The DC also said that 11 residential houses had been damaged while crop and orchard losses were being assessed.
He told the IMCT that the Shopian administration had already initiated both short-term restoration measures and long-term resilience planning.
The DC said that protective and restoration works like crate bunds, embankments, and flood protection measures had been initiated at Hydergund, Zainapora, Safanagri, and other vulnerable spots.
Addressing the officers, the IMCT directed that department-wise damage details be compiled for submission to the Centre and assured that recommendations would be included in their report to enable immediate relief as well as long-term resilience planning for the Shopian district.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo held a detailed meeting with the IMCT.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary made a strong pitch for immediate central assistance to restore vital infrastructure such as power supply lines, water supply schemes, schools, roads, bridges, and other public utilities.
He underscored the need of a comprehensive safety audit of critical public infrastructure, particularly schools, healthcare facilities, bridges, and roads, to ensure their resilience for their utility for continuous public use.
The Chief Secretary also sought special relief for farmers whose crops or agricultural lands were damaged due to the floods.
He proposed that the Centre bear the farmers’ share of premium too under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) so that the affected growers can avail insurance cover for their crop losses.
Highlighting the issue of connectivity, the Chief Secretary pressed for immediate directives to central road agencies to undertake swift restoration of damaged roads and support new connectivity projects in flood-hit districts that remain cut off.
He later took note of the restoration measures taken in the Jammu division.
The Chief Secretary took a detailed appraisal first from the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, and then enquired from each DC about the status of essential amenities there, along with relief and rehabilitation measures initiated to bring respite to the locals in terms of connectivity, power, water, and other public infrastructure.
Over the past month, inclement weather has left J&K reeling, with around 150 people losing their lives and key roads, including the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, frequently blocked, thereby affecting the movement of traffic on these roads.
