JAMMU: Minister for Housing, Horticulture, Culture, Youth Services and Sports Raman Bhalla on Monday asked the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) to gear up their men and machinery in reconstruction of damages of Nallah embankments at Gangyal, Chatha, Bhour Camp, Transport Nagar, Shanker Colony, Sainik Colony, Rajiv Nagar and Nanak Nagar.
This was stated by the minister while interacting with the accompanied UEED officers after assessing the losses of damages of Nallahs at the above said localities, here on Monday.
During his visit to Gangyal area, Bhalla found that inhabitants have received great loss due to damage of Nallah wall, which resulted in foul water entering into their houses and affected the private property. He asked the UEED to immediately start the project for the safety of the public and private property.
At Transport Nagar, the minister apprised that due to flash floods in area Nallah, five vehicles have been washed away and 600 meter long edge wall of Nallah got damaged.
Earlier, several deputations of Sunjwan, Gole Gujral, Bathindi, Nanak Nagar, Gangyal and Preet Nagar met the minister and appealed him for rescue of trapped families in flash floods at Jawahar Nagar, Indira Nagar, Lal Chowk, Raj Bagh, Ram Munshi Bagh and Tulsi Bagh and other pockets of Srinagar city. They urged the minister to also make arrangements for airlifting the people, employees and labourers and provide accommodation, meal, and shelter to them at the safer place.
Bhalla informed the deputation that instructions have been issued to the Kashmir administration for ensuring all necessary arrangements for their safety and evacuate the population trapped in submerged areas.
The minister said Army, NDRF, State Police and Civil Administration are working in tandem to help rescue and evacuation of stranded population of Mehjoor Nagar, Chanapora and Natipora in Srinagar after a breach in the Jhelum embankment at Padshah Bagh.
In view of the rising water levels in river Jhelum, Bhalla appealed to the people living close to river embankments and low-lying areas to move to safer places.
The minister said the government is making all efforts to undertake rescue operation in affected areas of the State. “However loss of road connectivity to several flood hit areas is hampering the rescue operation. We airdropped the National Disaster Response Force team in Awantipora to undertake rescue operation. Other NDRF teams are undertaking rescue operation in Pulwama, Srinagar and Budgam, he added.
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