No need to panic, govt monitoring rains: Dy CM

JAMMU : Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh today assured there was no need to panic in the wake of heavy rains in the Kashmir, as the government was on full alert.
“The state administration is on full alert in the wake of heavy rains in the Valley. The situation is being monitored continuously,” Singh informed the Assembly here after members from different parties raised the issue of the flood threat.
“People should not panic and assured that all precautionary measures have been put in place,” he said.
“The Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is on way to Srinagar to personally monitor the situation arising due to incessant rains in the Valley,” an official spokesman said.
The Deputy Chief Minister informed that the water level at 11 am at Sangam stood at 12 ft against danger level of 18 ft.
At Ram Munshibagh, the water level was at 12.6 ft against alarm level of 16 ft, while at Asham it was 8.5 ft against alarm level of 30 feet, he said.
The water levels are being relayed to the control room on regular basis and right now there is no need for panic.
Also a team of ministers comprising Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Imran Raza Ansari, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, and Asiya Naqash are monitoring the situation on an hourly basis at Srinagar.
The Minister for Flood Control Sukhnandan Kumar is also on his way to Srinagar to take stock of the situation.
A team comprising Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, and IGP, Kashmir, has been visiting various flood prone areas to ascertain the situation and precautionary measures taken at Divisional and District levels.
Meanwhile, a special control room has been established at Srinagar police headquarters to monitor the situation.
The helpline numbers of the control room are 2452138, 2474040.
The Divisional Commissioner has also asked all Deputy Commissioners to remain vigilant, establish control rooms at their respective district headquarters and inform people to remain alert.
Over 200 people died in Jammu and Kashmir in the floods that wreaked havoc in the state after incessant rains in September 2014, leaving thousands homeless. (AGENCIES)