SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has released Rs 3 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for relief assistance in flood-affected areas of Budgam district, including Beerwah constituency, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary informed the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
The Deputy Chief Minister was responding to a Calling Attention Motion raised by MLA Dr Shafi Ahmad Wani over the damage caused by the recent flash floods in Beerwah constituency.
Choudhary said an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been recommended for the legal heirs of a person who died in a flood-related incident in the constituency, in accordance with the applicable SDRF norms.
He said a double-storey shopping complex comprising 29 shops, along with a residential shed, was damaged or washed away in the floods at Qasba Beerwah.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, preliminary assessments have been carried out by the PWD-R&B, Municipal Committee, Revenue Department and other concerned agencies. However, the final assessment of the losses and verification of land title of the affected structure are still under process.
The government has also assessed damage to crops and horticulture in the constituency.
Choudhary said the Agriculture Production Department had reported crop damage over five hectares, including 3.15 hectares of paddy, 1.65 hectares of vegetables and 0.20 hectares of maize.
Horticulture damage has been reported over 0.334 hectares, affecting seven orchardists, with claims amounting to Rs 30,000. Compensation for the losses will be provided according to the applicable norms, he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister further informed the House that the District SDRF Committee had assessed damage to roads, bridges and culverts under the R&B Division, Beerwah, and recommended Rs 1,092.92 lakh for their restoration.
In the power sector, Rs 11.41 lakh has been recommended for restoration of the 33 KV Ahmad Pora-Beerwah transmission line under Sub Transmission Division-II of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Rajbagh, Srinagar.
The government said the restoration and compensation measures were being processed on the basis of departmental assessments and the applicable disaster-relief norms.
