RAJOURI, Aug 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the relief, restoration and rehabilitation measures following the recent flash floods in Rajouri and announced a series of measures aimed at providing greater support to affected families while strengthening long-term disaster preparedness across the district.
Chairing a high-level review meeting, the Chief Minister directed the district administration and all concerned departments to expedite restoration works, enhance rehabilitation efforts and formulate long-term mitigation strategies to safeguard vulnerable areas from future natural disasters.
During the meeting, Omar Abdullah observed that cloudbursts and flash floods have become increasingly frequent across Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. While acknowledging that the Meteorological Department issues rainfall forecasts and timely weather advisories, he said accurately predicting the exact location of cloudbursts remains a significant challenge, affecting advance preparedness in specific areas.
The Chief Minister appreciated the Rajouri District Administration for issuing timely public advisories and strategically deploying manpower and machinery in vulnerable locations ahead of the disaster, which helped minimise loss of life. He also lauded the prompt rescue, evacuation and relief operations carried out immediately after the floods.
Expressing concern over the hardships faced by affected families, Omar Abdullah said the existing relief package was insufficient to meet the actual costs of rebuilding homes and restoring livelihoods. He assured that the Jammu and Kashmir Government would enhance the quantum of financial assistance and provide comprehensive rehabilitation support, particularly to families whose houses were damaged or who had lost both their homes and agricultural land.
In a significant announcement, the Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri to identify suitable government land so that families rendered homeless and landless could be allotted five marlas of land for rehabilitation. He also instructed the administration to ensure immediate distribution of special free ration to such affected households.
Reviewing restoration of essential services, Omar Abdullah noted that the 33 KV power transmission line between Rajouri and Poonch had suffered extensive damage, disrupting electricity supply in several areas. While appreciating the temporary restoration carried out by the Power Development Department, he directed officials to complete permanent restoration works without delay.
The Chief Minister also stressed the importance of restoring drinking water supply and directed the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department to submit proposals for installing hand pumps wherever feasible to ensure reliable access to safe drinking water in flood-affected villages.
Addressing infrastructure resilience, Omar Abdullah said roads in hilly and mountainous regions require specialised engineering designs capable of withstanding natural disasters. He observed that construction models used in the plains cannot be replicated in mountainous terrain and instructed the Public Works Department to prepare recommendations for developing more disaster-resilient road infrastructure across vulnerable areas.
The Chief Minister further directed officials to prepare a proposal for the construction of a Mini Secretariat in Rajouri and asked the administration to explore monetising government office spaces that would become available after departments are shifted to the proposed complex.
Highlighting concerns over unplanned construction, Omar Abdullah warned against building structures along riverbanks, stating that rivers naturally reclaim their original courses during extreme weather events. He made it clear that construction in such vulnerable zones would not be permitted in future to minimise disaster risks.
The Chief Minister also assured that issues concerning the alternate bus stand, restoration of Jal Shakti infrastructure and other important public facilities would receive sympathetic consideration from the government.
Commending the coordinated efforts of the District Administration, Police and all line departments, Omar Abdullah urged officials to maintain the same level of dedication and ensure that preventive as well as mitigation measures are implemented effectively to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
The meeting was attended by MLA Rajouri Iftkhar Ahmed, MLA Thanamandi Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, MLA Budhal Javed Iqbal Choudhary, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Abhishek Sharma, SSP Rajouri Gaurav Sikarwar, ADDC Rajouri Malikzada Sheraz-ul-Haq, ADC Rajouri Ravi Kumar Sihag and other senior officers.(KNC)
