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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday visited the flash flood-affected areas of Rajouri district and assured residents that the government would ensure rehabilitation, compensation and restoration of essential services for those impacted by the disaster.
Reviewing the relief and rehabilitation efforts, the Chief Minister said the administration's immediate priority during the flash floods on July 19 was to save lives through timely evacuation and emergency response. "The situation that arose on the 19th July, our first responsibility was to ensure that loss of life should be minimised. In this district, four precious lives were lost, which we deeply regret, but if the administration hadn't taken all the measures, this number might have been even higher," Abdullah told reporters. He said the administration subsequently shifted its focus to search and rescue operations before moving into the restoration and rehabilitation phase. "Then we turned to the recovery phase, to search for and rescue the missing people. Now the work of restoration and rehabilitation is underway. Wherever there has been damage, it needs to be repaired," he said. The Chief Minister said electricity supply in the affected areas has largely been restored, while efforts are underway to address disruptions in drinking water supply. "Electricity supply has been nearly restored. The water issue remains a major problem. Many of our Jal Shakti Department's water supply schemes have been disrupted. Some suggestions have come from the MLA, and we will not only consider them but also implement them," he added. Assuring support to affected families, Abdullah said the government would provide adequate compensation to those whose houses had been damaged and would make arrangements for the rehabilitation of people who had lost their land. "Those whose homes have been damaged should receive proper compensation. Those who have lost their land should be given plots so that they can have homes. Arrangements will be made for free ration," he said. The Chief Minister's visit comes after flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall caused widespread damage in parts of Rajouri last month, washing away roads, damaging houses, disrupting water supply schemes and affecting power infrastructure. Rescue teams from the district administration, police, SDRF and other agencies were deployed to evacuate stranded residents and restore connectivity in the affected areas. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has been carrying out restoration work on damaged roads, bridges and public utilities while assessing losses to private property and agriculture. Officials are also conducting damage assessments to facilitate compensation under the government's disaster relief norms. Several parts of Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed heavy rainfall and weather-related incidents during the monsoon season, prompting authorities to strengthen disaster preparedness and issue advisories in vulnerable areas. The Chief Minister reiterated that the government would continue monitoring the rehabilitation process to ensure that affected families receive timely assistance and that damaged infrastructure is restored at the earliest. (ANI)
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