SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday reviewed the damage caused by heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, directing the administration to intensify rescue, relief and restoration efforts on a war footing.
The Lieutenant Governor spoke to senior officials and the Deputy Commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch to assess the extent of damage to residential properties and public infrastructure and took stock of the ongoing response.
According to an official statement, Sinha is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed all district administrations and government departments to work round the clock in close coordination to expedite rescue operations, provide relief to affected families and restore essential services.
The Lieutenant Governor also appealed to people to avoid non-essential travel in vulnerable areas and strictly adhere to safety advisories issued by the district administration.
In a post on X, Sinha said the Divisional Commissioner Jammu and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu, were on the ground supervising relief operations.
“Our main focus is reopening key roads and restoring power and water supplies,” he said, adding that of the 435 roads damaged due to the incessant rains and flash floods, 356 had already been restored.
The Lieutenant Governor said personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu and Kashmir Police and Civil Defence were jointly carrying out rescue and restoration operations, while Quick Response Teams had been deployed in vulnerable areas.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the rain-related disasters, Sinha conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the calamity.
