Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 17: As the water level is gradually receding in all the flood hit areas, the life has started limping back to normalcy in the Kashmir valley.
The vehicular traffic to valley has been restored through three National Highways of Mughal Road, Srinagar-Jammu and Kishtwar-Sinthan link facilitating the resumption of supplies at a massive scale.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is closely monitoring the situation and taking daily review meeting with the senior officials, has been stressing on providing immediate succor to the flood affected people by way of providing ration, safe drinking water, blankets, tents, medicine etc besides intensifying the dewatering and sanitation process in the inundated areas, especially in Srinagar city.
The Chief Minister was told that the flood water in the many waterlogged Srinagar city localities is being drained into natural channels through high volume suction pumps and cuts which is followed by massive cleaning up drive. Scores of animal carcasses have also been properly disposed and the drive is going on war footing.
The Chief Minister was told that 30 MGD Ranjil, 19 MGD, Nishat and 6 MGD Alistag Water Supply Scheme are functioning normally and supplying potable water to the people, while as efforts are on to restore the Mehjoor Nagar and Padhshahi Bag water supply schemes. He was told that despite having suffered damages 19 MGD Doodganga and 4 MGD Pokhribal WSSs are also being made operational shortly.
The Chief Minster was told that water supply has been fully restored in South Kashmir towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam while as it has been partially restored in Pampore. Tankers have been pressed into service in Kupwara and Sopore areas in North Kashmir where PHE schemes have been badly hit.
The Chairman J&K Bank informed that efforts are on to activate as many bank branches as possible in the Srinagar city. He said that cash has reached for ATMs, which are being made functional. He said that many bank branches and ATMs have been made operational in many areas of Kashmir valley which were hit by floods.
On power supply, the Chief Minister was informed that 70 percent power supply has been restored in the Srinagar city and in other areas the supply would be restored as soon as water recedes from these areas. He was told that power supply position in the rest of the valley is satisfactory except Shopian, where it would be restored within a couple of days.
The Chief Minister was told that sensing the need, 12 lakh vials of anti-measles vaccine and 3000 vials of anti-rabies vaccine are expected to reach Srinagar shortly. Also, other cleaning and dis-infecting agents like phenyl, fumigation sprays etc are on way to Srinagar.
The Chief Minister directed the R&B Department to take up necessary repair of major bridges and roads immediately so that normal movement of traffic across the state is resumed. The Chief Minister asked BSNL and other telecommunication authorities to pace up there effort to restore communication network in the state.
The meeting was told that all the army goodwill schools have reopened, even as normal schools activity resumed in district of Baramulla and Kupwara. The Deputy Commissioners have been asked to take decisions of reopening of schools in their districts only after assessing the ground situation.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister under took an extensive tour of the flood hit areas of the Srinagar city to personally oversee the situation with regard to the rescue and relief measures undertaken by the administration. He was accompanied by the Minister for PHE, I&FC, Sham Lal Sharma and senior officers.
The areas toured included Sonawar, Pathrathan, Pantha Chowk, Nowgam, Natipora, Rajbagh, Sanat Nagar and Rambagh. He also conducted aerial survey of Bemina, Batmaloo, Lal Chowk, Abi Guzar, Barbarshah, Maisuma, Khayam, Qamarwari, Parimpora etc.
The Chief Minister directed the officers to ensure that dewatering of the inundated areas in done on war footing so that people living in these areas start resuming their day today life. He also asked for providing potable drinking water, adequate electric supply, free ration besides giving adequate and necessary medicare facilities to the affected people, so that threat of the epidemic is controlled and also asked for undertaking the necessary fumigation and cleanup of the areas where the water level has receded.
While listening to the grievances of the people in different localities, the Chief Minister assured them that State Government has already instructed the revenue officers to prepare a comprehensive and detailed report about the extent of damage suffered by the people so that they can be adequately compensated. He also told them that to control the possible spread of any disease associated with floods, the necessary medical precautions have already been taken and instructions have been passed to the officers of health, SMC, PHE to ensure that people get quality medicare facilities, clean drinking water and clean surroundings.
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