Ministers reach out to flood-hit populace of Kashmir Valley

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: As the Omar Abdullah government gears up to rehabilitate people in flood-battered Kashmir Valley, state ministers have begun to lead the administration from the front and are reaching out to the affected.

A team of ministers including Minister for Higher Education Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Forests Altaf Ahmed and Minister of State for Revenue Ajaz Ahmed Khan visited Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts yesterday to take stock of the situation.

Lone, who was heading the team, said government has taken all necessary measures for rehabilitation of flood-hit families.

He said funds have been kept at the disposal of concerned Divisional Commissioners for disbursement to the effected families through DDCs.

The Ministers were told that the administration was issuing regular advisories to the locals, particularly to those living in the vicinity of rivers and water bodies, to take preventive measures.

They were informed that community kitchens were being run at all relief camps set up for the people displaced due to floods.

With over three lakh people hit by floods in North Kashmir, the Ministers sought distribution of free ration for six months to the flood-hit.

The Ministers asked the district administration to expedite distribution of relief including payment of financial assistance to the next of the kin of those who died in floods and first instalment of Rs 75,000 to people whose houses were completely damaged in the floods.

He said 41,000 people have been kept in 87 relief camps and were being provided free food and other amenities besides healthcare.

Tourism Minister Gulam Ahmed Mir, who visited flood-hit Dooru constituency in south Kahsmir, took stock of the rescue and relief measures in place to provide necessary help to the flood victims.

Minister for Urban Development and Local Bodies Nawang Rigizin Jora undertook a tour of Srinagar city to review the sanitation works and get in touch with the grievances of the public.

The areas visited by the Minister included Sonwar, BB Cant, Indra Nagar, Shivpora, Nawgam, Sanat Nagar, Hyderpora, Tengpora, Batmaloo, Rambagh, Alochibagh, Bemina, Karan Nagar, Kral Khud, Habbakdal, Naie Sadak, Barbar Shah, Bishamber Nagar, Gaw Kadal, Dalgate, Brain and Nishat.

During his visit, he met various ward officers alongwith their staff who were busy cleaning their respective areas.

The Minister gave on-the-spot instructions to the ward officers to lift garbage during night hours, so that there is hassle-free traffic movement during the day.

Minister for Horticulture Raman Bhalla visited various areas of Kashmir Valley and assessed the loss suffered to fruit production due to flash floods.

Bhalla directed the officers to visit areas in their jurisdiction and submit the losses to higher authorities for providing compensation under norms fixed by the Government.

He also directed them to provide farmers transport services and cardboard boxes for packaging of seasonal fruit.