Government to Request Relief Package from Centre for Rapid Restoration: CM
Srinagar, Sep 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today convened a high-level meeting for an in-depth review of the flood relief and restoration measures underway across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting included Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmed Dar, Satish Sharma, and Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani.
Key officials present were Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta; Principal Secretary PWD; Commissioner Secretary Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs; Secretary School Education; Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir; Inspector General of Police (NH); Deputy Commissioners; and other concerned officers. Several officials participated virtually.
The Chief Minister directed all departments to accelerate their damage assessments so relief and restoration projections can be promptly submitted to the Government of India. He inquired about flood relief funds released and was informed that many districts have used these funds for temporary restoration. Emphasizing the need for durable solutions, he instructed the Jal Shakti Department to prioritize permanent restoration of water supply schemes over temporary repairs.
He also reviewed school safety audits conducted post-floods, urging fast-tracking of certification processes. Addressing misinformation on social media about alleged deliberate delays of fruit truck movement on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway (NH-44), the CM ordered the Divisional Commissioners and IGP (NH) to provide verified updates to keep the public accurately informed. The delay was attributed to poor road conditions on some highway stretches, not any deliberate action.
Omar Abdullah expressed concern over damage to the historic Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex in Jammu, where land subsidence along Circular Road has harmed the complex’s rear side, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures, as reported by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar.
The Chief Minister urged his Council of Ministers to finalize departmental projections swiftly and directed District Authorities to reconcile figures with departments to ensure accuracy for a consolidated restoration proposal to the Centre. He ordered robust preparedness, embankment strengthening, and effective response systems to safeguard lives and property. He also instructed Deputy Commissioners to submit reports on the admissibility of ex-gratia relief for families in J&K whose members died in a recent landslide in Himachal Pradesh.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg provided a detailed flood impact report, noting 16 fully damaged, 57 severely damaged, and 791 partially damaged houses, with relief disbursed. One flood-related death was compensated, alongside three others in Anantnag compensated via the Red Cross. Livestock losses and damaged cattle sheds were also addressed with compensation.
Infrastructure damage included nearly 90 km of affected roads across 279 stretches; 52 stretches restored, the rest under repair. Eighty-seven bridges and culverts suffered damage, more than half already restored. Repairs are ongoing on a breach in the Jhelum River at Zoonipora, Budgam. In power restoration, ₹9.34 crore is proposed for poles, conductors, and transformers. Among 563 water supply schemes affected, 385 are fully restored. Safety audits on 115 schools have resulted in certificates for 43.
Agricultural losses affected over 12,500 hectares, with horticulture damage on nearly 315 hectares mainly in Anantnag, Kulgam, and Pulwama districts, totaling about ₹59 lakh. Essential supply stocks of petrol, diesel, and LPG remain stable. Fruit transportation to Jammu and Delhi is progressing well, with over 137,000 boxes moved.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu detailed 150 flood-related deaths, 178 injuries, and 33 missing persons, with Kishtwar the worst affected. Housing losses were significant, with over 4,200 fully and 8,600 partially damaged homes, especially in Udhampur and Jammu districts. Livestock losses numbered 1,455 and crop damage covered over 1,300 hectares.
More than ₹40 crore has been disbursed from the State Disaster Response Fund, plus ₹3.35 crore from the HCM Relief Fund. Restoration work covers over 2,700 km of roads, with more than half the bridges temporarily restored. Permanent road and bridge restoration is estimated at nearly ₹893 crore. The power sector suffered extensive damage, with over 49,000 transformers affected, almost all restored. More than 2,000 water supply works were damaged; about 1,600 temporarily fixed, requiring ₹195 crore for permanent repair.
The education sector audited over 8,800 schools; 5,500 issued safety certificates, with 5,200 deemed safe and 758 unsafe. Public health efforts included testing 442 water samples and organizing 1,500 health camps, screening around 80,000 people with no disease outbreak warnings reported.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reaffirmed that permanent infrastructure restoration and livelihood revival will proceed urgently once a comprehensive relief package receives Central approval.
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