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The post-earthquake rescue and relief operations have been undertaken on a war footing. A high-level Group has been constituted under the Cabinet Secretary. The Army Chief and Air Force Chief, who are part of the Group, meet on a daily basis and coordinate closely the rescue and relief operations. Today contributions to PM’s Relief Fund have also been invited specifically. This was announced by Cabinet Secretary, Shri B K Chaturvedi, here today.
The Prime Minister has announced a relief of Rs. 500 crore to the State in addition to Rs. 142.32 crores already provided to the State. Rs. 342.32 crores has already been transferred to the State account.
He said a round the clock monitoring is being done of the requirements of the affected population and the State. All transport resources have been pressed into service, including of the airforce, army and railways. Whatever has been requisitioned by the State Government is being sent on priority.
The Cabinet Secretary said the worst affected districts due to the earthquake on 8th October, 2005 are Baramulla, Poonch, Kupwara and Srinagar. As a measure of abundant caution, local people in affected areas have been advised not to use damaged/ poorly-built buildings which may suffer damage in the aftershock activity, which is still continuing. However, the intensity of the aftershocks is declining and it would not hinder the relief and rescue operations being undertaken.
The movement of relief material has been streamlined at the Srinagar airport. The relief operations undertaken by the Army, the Air Force, Para-military Forces, Relief Teams of Health and Power Ministries, and the Civil Administration of the State are progressing with the utmost efficiency.
Shri Chaturvedi said an Inter-Ministerial Team to assess the damage in the State has reached J&K. In pursuance of the decision taken yesterday, a detailed movement plan has been prepared by MHA, in coordination with Air Force and Railways, for transportation of relief material by air, rail and road and is making good progress. The status of relief material sent against the assessed requirement is shown below :
Item
Sent
Tents
5129 (13,000 expected by 6th Oct)
Blankets/
sleeping bags
98403
Warm clothing
10,000
Medicines
40 tonnes
Bukharies (coal)
169
Tarpaulines
917
Food
30 trucks of rice
10 trucks of Atta
Drinking water
36200 ltr. + 4 water tankers
In addition to above, Operation ‘Imdad’, of the Army is continuing satisfactorily. The army has so far treated 1,484 affected people and rescued 1,165 civilians. 232 critically injured civilians have been evacuated by air. 30 medical teams are working in the affected areas. Army has also deployed 14 Engineering Task Force Teams to clear the lateral roads and it is expected that task would be completed within a week. Army has already provided 800 coat parkas, 2405 sleeping bags, 900 mattress, 5310 blankets, 15888 batteries and has released an additional 5000 mattress, 50,000 coat parka inner, 14,300 coat parkas outer, 1 lakh woolen socks and 1 lakh woolen trousers to the State Government. Most of these items are being provided immediately. Army is also exploring the possibility of setting up Arctic tents which stand extreme cold conditions as well as rainfall and can house 10 to 15 people each, at designated community centres.
402 sorties had been carried out by 12 helicopters and 32 aircrafts, which have so far airlifted 467.47 tonnes of relief material and rescued 556 affected people. An important challenge was to efficiently unload the transport aircraft and send the supplies to their destinations, which has been achieved through effective coordination of the civil and military authorities. The roads were cleared rapidly and the affected population taken to safe places.
The Cabinet Secretary said that a team under the Secretary, M/o Urban Development is in Srinagar to assess the short-term and long-term requirement of reconstruction activities in the State. A report is expected by the end of this week, after which action will be initiated by GOI with support from the Financial Institutions to build the houses of the affected people using the latest cost-effective technology.
Presently, there are adequate stocks of POL & LPG in the State. Adequate provisions will be made to replenish the stocks well in advance. An additional quota of 3000 KL of Kerosene has been released for the State.
Health department has placed the services of 40 doctors to the Army for use in the State today and the remaining medicines would be made available to the State within two days.
The Cabinet Secretary said that the Power Grid Corporation and the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation have adopted 3 and 4 villages respectively and would be meeting all the requirements of the affected people in these villages in the short and long run. M/o Power is making available diesel Gensets for meeting the needs of villages and interior areas which would be airlifted to sites.
D/o Telecom would provide 100 satellite telephones to the Army and State Government for meeting the immediate requirements and further 150 would be kept in standby for meeting the long-term requirements. DoT has been instructed to examine the feasibility of the operationalising the telephone lines from J&K to POK to meet the requirements of the residents who are anxious to know the welfare of their relatives living across the border.
To channelise the response of the Indian Industry and NGOs with respect to the relief material to be provided, a meeting has been organized with their representatives, the Cabinet Secretary added.
Extent of Damage in J&K:
No. of Deaths
No. of persons injured
No. of persons missing
No. of buildings damaged*
Civilians- 1195
(Srinagar- 1178 & Jammu- 17)
Security Forces - 85
(Army -24, BRO-40 & BSF-8 plus 13 Porters of BRO)
Civilians
5886
(Srinagar- 5796 & Jammu- 90)
Security Force
16
(Army -14 &
BSF-2)
32,335 (Srinagar- 31,809 & Jammu – 526
BSC/DS/SKS/Hb
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