KL Report
SRINAGAR
As the government is still in the process of finalizing the consequences of the disastrous floods, initial assessment suggests around one lakh families may require an alternative shelter. Unlike all other districts, Srinagar will have final figures available only after the water levels permit the passage and assessment, a senior officer privy of the developments said.
“We have completed the initial assessment that suggests more than 90,000 houses are fully damaged,” a senior officer associated with the exercise said. “When I mean fully damaged, I mean these houses would not be worth living and would require rebuilding.”
The overall damages to constructions is upward of 3,50,000, the officer said and it includes nearly one lakh hosing dwellings. “Kashmir accounts for nearly 75000 houses and the rest are in Jammu,” the officer said. “In Kashmir, Srinagar tops with nearly 60,000 houses and Kupwara has the lowest number of houses fully damaged.”
The officer said the initial assessment may witness a change after Srinagar is revisited by the surveying authorities. “The final assessment will be done once the dewatering is over,” the officer said. “We hope that the 60,000 figure goes slightly down because we believe some of the recently constructed concrete structure may have withstood the water pressure for all these days.”
The officer put the overall deaths across the state in floods at 280. He said the business establishments are yet to be surveyed and part of the losses they have suffered will be managed through insurance.
As for as overall sufferings across the state are concerned, the officer said there are 12 lakh families which have suffered losses. Most of these families have suffered a crop loss or the loss to other properties. Nearly 50,000 cattle heads are lost along with 22000 poultry birds. He put the overall loss to the agriculture and horticulture sector at Rs 5000 crore.
“All the 12 lakh families are getting relief,” the officer said. “For the six months, the government has already announced free rations.” For fully damaged houses, the government has started releasing Rs 70,000 initial relief for the spade work.
