Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today declared that the Government would relax norms to compensate the people, who have suffered extensive loss of life, cattle stock and property in the recent heavy floods in Jammu and Kashmir and construct New Colonies for the people, who had been living on embankments of the river and have been dislocated in the floods as they could face similar threats in future.
He gave these assurances to the people during a series of meetings with them at different places in Surankote, Poonch, Thanna Mandi and Nowshera in flood ravaged Poonch and Rajouri districts.
Meanwhile, the first surface link to the Kashmir Valley from Jammu region—Rajouri-Shopian Mughal Road was re-opened today after closure of several days as the Chief Minister visited Rajouri and Poonch while Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for traffic for 12th consecutive day due to landslides near Ramsu.
Omar assured the people during his inter-action with them at various place in Poonch and Rajouri district, which had suffered extensive damage during recent floods, that the Government was ready to relax norms for payment of compensation to the people, whose houses have been damaged or the persons, who were killed or injured in rains and floods.
“The State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) provides for meager compensation to the flood hit victims but we are going to relax norms to adequately compensate the people,’’ he said.
Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo accompanied the Chief Minister.
He added that the Government would compensate the people adequately and this was his commitment to them.
Consoling the victims of Nowshera bus tragedy in which 67 persons were killed, Omar addressing them at Raipur Bhatta in Mahant Bachitter Singh Gurudwara Saheb in Rajouri district, said he has no words to express his condolences over such a major tragedy.
“This was colossal loss. I have no words to express condolences,’’ he said and agreed to people’s all demands for adequate relief, jobs to kin of victims, construction of bridges and culverts. He told the people that Rs 75,000 for damaged houses was only initial installment and they would get for re-construction of their houses. He said the people have started getting Rs 1.5 lakh relief for every person killed in the floods and Rs 2 lakh more will follow.
The people appreciated role of civil and police administration including SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi and DC Rajouri Jatinder Kumar Singh for helping them in the time of crises and providing them all possible help.
In Thanna Mandi, Omar visited Azmatabad and Manyal Gali, the two villages, which had virtually been buried under the landslides and inter-acted with the survivors and other locals. He assured them full support on behalf of the Government saying they will not be allowed to suffer and would get relief for killed and injured and collapsed houses immediately.
In Poonch, Omar visited Shankar Nagar Mohalla, embankments of Poonch river, Sher-i-Kashmir bridge and surroundings before holding meeting with administration at Gujjar Hostel. He assured the people that the Government would consider construction of new colonies for the people putting up on embankments of the river as they could again face threat from the floods.
He directed the authorities to concede the demand of the people for raising number of Sher-i-Kashmir bridges to 13.
SSP Poonch Shamsheer Hussain and DC Poonch MH Malik briefed the Chief Minister on relief and rehabilitation measures for the flood affected victims. They said efforts were on to restore many closed roads in far off areas while major roads have been restored for traffic.
Omar lauded the troops for immediate construction of Darungali bridge.
The Chief Minister also visited Surankote and toured flood affected areas, inter-acted with the people and assured them relief.
Legislators Aijaz Jan and Dr Shehnaz Ganai, Bashir Naz and DIG Rajouri-Poonch range AK Atri accompanied Omar in his tour.
Meanwhile, authorities today re-opened Mughal road after several days of closure linking Rajouri and Poonch districts with Shopian in Kashmir. This would enable the administration to rush supplied of essential commodities to the Kashmir Valley from Rajouri and Poonch and even Jammu.
SDPO Surankote Ajay Sharma said 40 stranded tankers in Leh and Kargil reached Poonch on way to Rajouri and Jammu this evening apart from 145 light vehicles. He added that 93 vehicles left for Kashmir from this side from Surankote.
Sharma said police personnel were monitoring movement of vehicles on Mughal road to ensure that the vehicles carrying essential commodities move smoothly.
However, Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for 12th day today as Army and BRO personnel were still working on re-alignment of the highway and clearing massive landslides near Ramsu.
Army has constructed bridge over Bislari Nullah to ensure trans-shipment of trapped persons till the highway is restored for traffic.
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