Promises higher financial aid, five marlas of land for homeless families, free ration, and faster restoration of damaged infrastructure

Srinagar, J & K : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday unveiled a series of relief and rehabilitation measures for families affected by the recent flash floods in Rajouri, while directing officials to accelerate restoration work and strengthen long-term disaster management plans to minimise the impact of future calamities.

During a high-level review meeting, the Chief Minister assessed the progress of relief operations and instructed the district administration and concerned departments to ensure speedy restoration of essential services, timely rehabilitation of affected families and implementation of durable mitigation measures in vulnerable areas.

Omar Abdullah observed that incidents of cloudbursts and flash floods have become increasingly common across Jammu and Kashmir. He noted that although the Meteorological Department provides weather forecasts and alerts, accurately identifying the exact location of cloudbursts remains difficult, posing challenges to disaster preparedness.

He appreciated the Rajouri administration for issuing advance warnings and deploying manpower and machinery in sensitive areas before the floods, saying these timely efforts helped reduce casualties. He also commended the coordinated rescue, evacuation and relief operations carried out by the administration and emergency agencies after the disaster.

Expressing concern over the losses suffered by residents, the Chief Minister said the existing compensation was inadequate considering the scale of damage. He assured that the government would enhance financial assistance and provide comprehensive rehabilitation to families whose houses, agricultural land and livelihoods had been severely affected.

In a major announcement, Omar Abdullah directed the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri to identify available government land for allotting five marlas each to families who had become both homeless and landless due to the floods. He also instructed officials to ensure immediate distribution of free ration to these affected households.

Reviewing restoration of essential utilities, the Chief Minister took stock of the damage to the 33 KV transmission line connecting Rajouri and Poonch, which disrupted electricity supply in several areas. While appreciating temporary arrangements made by the Power Development Department, he asked officials to complete permanent restoration work at the earliest.

He also directed the Jal Shakti Department to restore drinking water supply on priority and prepare proposals for installing hand pumps in flood-hit villages wherever required to ensure uninterrupted access to safe drinking water.

Stressing the need for stronger infrastructure, Omar Abdullah said road projects in mountainous regions should be designed to withstand natural disasters. He asked the Public Works Department to develop suitable engineering models for roads in hilly areas instead of following construction patterns used in the plains.

The Chief Minister further instructed officials to prepare a proposal for establishing a Mini Secretariat in Rajouri and explore productive utilisation of government office buildings that would become vacant after departments are shifted to the new complex.

Highlighting the dangers of unregulated construction along riverbanks, Omar Abdullah cautioned against allowing structures in vulnerable zones, saying rivers often reclaim their natural courses during extreme weather events. He emphasised that such construction would not be permitted in future to reduce disaster risks.

He also assured that issues related to the alternate bus stand, restoration of Jal Shakti infrastructure and other public facilities would receive due attention from the government.

Praising the coordinated efforts of the district administration, police and various departments, the Chief Minister urged officials to maintain the momentum and prioritise preventive measures alongside rehabilitation to improve preparedness for future disasters.

The meeting was attended by MLAs Iftkhar Ahmed, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan and Javed Iqbal Choudhary, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Abhishek Sharma, SSP Rajouri Gaurav Sikarwar and other senior officers.

Report By – Mudasir Maqbool