LAHDC demands Rs 50 cr for temporary restorations
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 13: Though recent heavy rains and cloud-bursts have badly affected a total of 45 villages of the Leh district and caused enormous damage to the public infrastructure, the State Government has not released even a single penny for protection and temporary restoration works besides compensation to the affected population. The non-serious attitude is notwithstanding the fact that Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council has sent repeated communiqués and through the latest one it has projected immediate requirement of Rs 50 crore.
According to the preliminary reports about the damages prepared by the District Administration through field officers of different departments, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, 45 villages out of total 112 villages of the Leh district have suffered major and minor damages during the continuous rains and cloudbursts, which triggered landslides and flash floods in the recent past.
Of these 45 villages, 19 are in Leh Sub-Division, 8 each in Khaltse and Nubra Sub-Divisions, four in Kharu Sub-Division, 5 in Nyoma and one in Durbuk Sub-Division. Till August 5, a total of 103 residential houses were reported to have suffered damages. “Public infrastructure such as roads, foot bridges, irrigation canals along with residential and Government buildings have suffered damage across the district”, the report said.
“Notable is the destruction of irrigation canals, head works of which have got damaged extensively”, the report further said, adding “damage to agricultural land with standing crop and loss of livestock has also been reported from all across the district and Leh, Kharu, Khaltse and Nubra Sub-Divisions are the most severely affected areas”.
Keeping in view the huge devastation particularly in terms of infrastructure caused by the natural calamity, the Chief Executive Councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, Rigzin Spalbar vide communiqué No. LAHDC /CEC/ 135/ 2015 /1733 dated August 5, 2015 approached the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for immediate assistance.
“I am requesting you for an immediate requirement of a sum of Rs 50 crore for taking up protection and temporary restoration works of the damages caused by the heavy rainfall and flash floods”, reads the communiqué of CEC to Chief Minister.
Through this letter, the CEC apprised Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that taking up of protection and temporary restoration of damaged roads, irrigation canals and head works and agricultural land involves huge financial implications for which prompt assistance of the State Government is required. Stating that Hill Council was leaving no stone unturned to prevent further damages and providing relief to the affected people with its limited resources, the CEC highlighted urgent requirement of funds to boost up the restoration works.
The CEC even brought to the notice of Chief Minister that vide his earlier communication number LAHDC /CEC/ 135 /2015/ 1631-63 dated July 25, 2015 he had requested the Government for release of Rs 1175.76 lakh under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) for immediate taking up of restoration work of the damages reported in the district till July 24, 2015. This amount was sought for restoration of public utilities for which division-wise abstract cost of damaged works was submitted by the Deputy Commissioner Leh to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir for release of funds.
Accordingly, the CEC stressed the need for release of Rs 50 crore for taking up of immediate protection and restoration works in the district. However, according to the sources, not even a single penny has been released till date.
“The flood affected population of the district is being given discriminatory treatment”, sources regretted, adding “if not Rs 50 crore, the State Government should have kept some amount at the disposal of either Hill Council or the District Administration so as to facilitate them to take up urgent nature of works”. They further said, “it is really shocking that till date the State Government has not announced compensation for the people, who have lost lives in the devastating floods”.
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