Centre’s heart beats for people of J&K: Amit Shah
Jammu, Sep 1: Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the Centre’s heart beats for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Visiting Jammu and inspecting the rain, flood, and landslide affected areas of Jammu division besides taking stock of the damages caused by the natural calamity, he said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre stands firmly with the people of J&K in this difficult time of natural calamities in the region.
The Home Minister said that the Centre was providing prompt relief, financial assistance, and technical support to facilitate recovery and reconstruction, while ensuring the safety and well-being of affected communities.
He also met the flood-affected people in Mangu Chak village in Jammu.
Shah inspected the Tawi Bridge at Bikram Chowk, the Shiv Temple, and homes damaged by floods in Jammu.
After the visit, he chaired a high-level meeting to review the latest situation.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and senior officers from the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) governments attended the meeting.
The Home Minister expressed grief over the loss of lives in the recent incidents.
He said that in this hour of crisis, from the very first day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to the LG Sinha and CM Omar, and the Centre had put in all its strength in the rescue efforts.
Shah said that J&K and all agencies together had significantly reduced potential damage and through coordinated efforts, had successfully saved many lives.
He said that a critical analysis of all Early Warning Apps (EWAs), their accuracy, and their reach to the grassroots level was necessary.
The Home Minister said that improving systems through critical analysis was the only way to move toward a zero-casualty approach.
He highlighted the need for a critical review of the GLOF Early Warning System.
Shah said that the Meteorological Department and NDMA should jointly study the relationship between the tendencies leading to cloudbursts and moisture content in clouds, identify causes, and establish an early warning system.
He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) should take steps in this direction by leveraging data analytics and AI.
The Home Minister said that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) should arrange for additional rations, and a decision on offline ration delivery could be made after assessing connectivity in 10 days.
He said that advanced survey teams from the MHA would assess the damage, and further assistance would be provided.
Shah said that a meeting of relevant departments from the Centre and the J&K administration, along with the Union Home Secretary, would be held within a day or two.
He said that teams from the MHA and the J&K government should prioritise damage assessment.
The Home Minister said that the Health and Jal Shakti Departments must proactively focus on water supply and health services.
He said that medical units from the Army, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and Air Force should also provide support.
Shah said that since J&K was prone to natural calamities, an amount of Rs 209 crore for the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) was allocated to J&K as the central share, due to which relief work had started.
He said that timely warnings by the Centre and Union Territory Disaster Management Authority (UTDMA) helped in minimising the loss of lives.
The Home Minister said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, UTDRF, other response teams, and all were on alert, and helicopters were also on standby.
He said that everyone was also informed about the mobilisation of the Army and the NDRF.
Shah said that private property of people had been damaged and assistance under SDRF for damaged houses was being assessed and would be disbursed in the shortest possible time.
He said that multiple roads had been damaged, and repair and restoration work had started.
The Home Minister said that traffic movement had started on most of the roads and relief had also started arriving, wherever needed.
He said more than 80 percent of the electricity supply had been restored in affected areas, people had started receiving pure drinking water, and health facilities were running smoothly.
Shah said that the infrastructure of critical sectors had been affected and its temporary restoration was underway on a war footing.
He said that the damages were being assessed by the J&K government and all possible assistance would be provided.
The Home Minister appreciated the efforts of all the agencies and said that the J&K government carried out the successful rescue operation quickly and efficiently.
He said more than 5000 people had been evacuated to safer places as a precaution.
Shah said 17 teams of the NDRF and 23 Army columns, helicopters from Indian Air Force, UTDRF, J&K Police, and CAPF personnel were still engaged in the entire operation and helping people.
He said that health facilities and food arrangements had been made in relief camps by the J&K government, and the situation would return to normal very soon.
