*Disastrous floods again hit sufferers of 2010 calamity
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 4: Fresh spell of heavy rainfall created widespread destruction in entire Leh district with people residing in the low lying areas abandoning their houses and migrating to upper reaches to save their lives. Even Army has been put on high-alert so as to extend all sorts of help to the civil administration as there is a forecast of more rainfall during next four-five days.
In the flash-floods caused by overnight rainfall, many houses were damaged in different parts of the district and road link of vast area of the district got snapped due to washing away of roads, culverts and bridges. Even some vehicles were swept away in Shey village and irrigation and water schemes virtually vanished from the ground in many parts of the district.
Reports said that entire district was lashed by heavy rainfall during the intervening night of August 3 and 4 resulting into flooding of all the nullahs and rivers and subsequent damages to the private and Government infrastructure even in those areas which were not affected during the rainfall of last one week.
Stating that rainfall has caused massive destruction, official sources said that thickly populated area of Tashi Gatsal in Choglamsar, which was the worst affected area during 2010 natural calamity, bore the maximum brunt as people were seen running helter skelter to save their lives. Most of the schools remained closed due to blockage of roads and washing away of culverts and bridges. Even telecommunication services were affected in different parts of the district after damage to the Optical Fiber Cable particularly near Wakha village in adjoining Kargil district.
Due to snapping of telecommunication link, people could not communicate with each other in order to enquire about their wellbeing and safety, reports said, adding the State Disaster Response Force, District Police, paramilitary forces and volunteers were seen working in the affected areas since wee hours for the assistance of the floods affected people. Even Deputy Commissioner, Saughat Biswas along with team of officers was seen personally supervising the rescue and restoration works in many parts.
In view of prevailing situation, Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC, Leh Rigzin Spalbar and all the Executive Councilors along with Deputy Commissioner today approached Army and BRO and asked their top officers to keep their personnel in the state of high-alert to help district administration in rescue and rehabilitation works as and when required.
When contacted, Chief Executive Councilor said, “Army officers have been requested to provide machines like JCBs, Dozers, Small Dozers, temporary bridges etc to district administration to connect the cutoff villages at the earliest possible time and also requested them to provide medical facilities, food and tents accommodation in case of emergency”.
“The rainfall and subsequent flash floods have caused massive devastation and there are reports about damages to many houses, death of livestock and snapping of road link of many areas”, Deputy Commissioner said when contacted, adding that irrigation and water supply schemes have suffered extensive damage. He, however, said that there was no loss of life in any part of the district as people in the low lying areas have moved to the upper reaches.
According to the reports, disastrous floods during the past some days have once again hit hard the sufferers of 2010 natural calamity. They had hardly come out of the horrifying pictures of 2010 devastation that another natural calamity has struck them.
Meanwhile, CEC expressed disappointment and anguish over the State Government’s failure to sanction funds for temporary restoration works till date despite the fact that Hill Council had made several representations seeking financial assistance.
“Ever since the breach of Phuktal artificial lake and subsequent damages, the Hill Council has been making requests to the Government for release of funds required for temporary and permanent restoration of the damages but it is unfortunate that till date not even a single penny has been released”, he said, adding “the State and Central Governments must immediately come forward and provide necessary assistance to the Leh people”.
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