SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag said the forces would continue to work through “day and night” to render relief to the affected people in Kashmir.
He said the flood situation in Kashmir is “improving” and stressed upon the need to supply affected people with food, water and medicine.
In the state capital to oversee the massive rescue exercise launched by the Army, he expressed confidence that situation will improve “quite a lot” in two to three days.
“It (situation) is improving. Water level is receding. I was here three days back and from then to now the water level has come down four to five feet or six feet at some places. So things are improving,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
Suhag, however, emphasised on the need to carry relief material to the rescued people.
“What is required is we need to supply food, water and medicine to people who need that,” he said, adding that Army was taking full care of people under its watch and augmented its medical facilities to meet the challenge.
He said the road network within the valley would be motorable for lighter vehicles by tomorrow and the broken-down communication network be restored to a large extent in two to three days.
Army had rescued close to 80,000 people by this morning, he added.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) reiterated that the Army would continue relief operations till the last person was rescued, a Defence spokesman said.
The COAS was briefed that as many as 239 army columns have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir along with 80 medical teams, he said, adding that a total of 58,000 persons have been rescued and 9,550 provided medical aid in Kashmir. In Srinagar, the Army has deployed additional 89 boat teams, he said. So far, more than 9,500 persons have been rescued from Srinagar and 2,000 have been provided shelter in Badamibagh Cantonment, he added. As many as 355 persons requiring immediate medical attention have been evacuated by Army Aviation helicopters till now, the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, thanking people for showing trust in the Indian Army, a senior Army official on Wednesday said the force will attempt to rescue every stranded person in flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir and asked people to be patient. “Thank you for your trust in the Indian Army. We assure you that your Army will attempt to rescue each and every one,” General Officer Commanding in Chief (GoC-in-C) Lt Gen D.S Hooda said in a message.
“Your Army is working to a plan and a priority of rescue.
Since the scope of this rescue operation is massive, we have had to prioritise our efforts both in terms of areas and persons,” he said.
“Critical areas need to be addressed first; the old, the infirm, women and children need to be evacuated earlier,” he said, adding, “We are aware that you are concerned for your near and dear ones, your Army is concerned for all our citizens”.
“We request you to be patient, we will reach them,” he added.
