*Announces upgradation of PHC, 6 new sub-centres in Kishtwar
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 4: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that Centre and State will have to work in coordination to provide relief to the earthquake affected people of the erstwhile Doda district as the quantum of damage caused by the tremors was far more than that reported till date.
Interacting with the media-persons after concluding his visit to the earthquake affected areas of Doda and Kishtwar districts, Mr Azad said, “while the district administration is on the job as they witnessed the destruction first hand, the response from the State administration has not been at par with the level of destruction caused by the tremors”, adding “the need of the hour is to see how relief is provided to the affected people and the Government should work towards that end at all levels”.
Stating that earthquake has caused much more damage than has been reported till date, the Union Minister said, “Gandoh and Bhalessa areas have been hit the hardest and 70% to 85% residential houses and Government buildings have been damaged due to the tremors”, adding “the reported damage in Bhaderwah, Gandoh and Thathri areas of Doda district is far less as compared to the actual destruction”.
He informed that many houses have collapsed while hundreds of others have been declared unsafe for living, adding “the intensity of destruction demands coordinated efforts between the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir Government for reconstruction of the areas”.
Mr Azad, who was accompanied by Vice-Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, Shashidhar Reddy and a team of officers to the earthquake affected areas, further said, “school buildings have suffered extensive damage and I don’t think that students will go back to more than 10 per cent schools”, adding “regular aftershocks in the region have instilled fear among the people and they are not willing to live inside the houses which have suffered partial damage”.
“People who have tents are living in the fields-they don’t want to go back to their houses”, he further said, adding “though the district administration has formed teams which will visit all the Panchayat Halqas and villages in the affected areas but only one-fourth of the affected areas have been covered so far. The situation demands that separate teams are formed to address the issues facing various sectors like infrastructure and school buildings”.
Disclosing that as the Chairman of the National Red Cross Committee he has provided 1,000 tents, the Union Minister said, “we need 5,000 to 10,000 tents to cater to the entire affected population that is why Centre and State Government will have to work in coordination to provide succor to the affected people”.
Earlier, while addressing a public gathering at Gulabgarh in Kishtwar district, Mr Azad, while assuring full support of the Union Government to the earthquake affected people, announced upgradation of Primary Health Centre at Gulabgarh from 4 beds to 25 beds and sub-centre at Maksoo up to 10 beds.
On the demand of the people, he also announced opening of six new sub-centres in Padder block of the Kishtwar district in order to provide healthcare facilities to the people of the remote areas at their door-steps. “I understand well the difficulties being faced by the people of remote areas. As Chief Minister of the State I had got an opportunity to deeply analyze the difficulties being faced by people of such areas”, he said.
Mr Azad also disclosed that Union Tourism Ministry has sanctioned three new tourism circuits for the Chenab valley region—Doda-Lal Draman at the cost of Rs 5 crore, Bhaderwah-Bhalesa at a cost of Rs 8 crore and Kishtwar-Machail at cost of Rs 8 crore.
He also distributed relief material to the victims of fire incident at village Tun which took place on the intervening night of February 11 and 12, 2013. The relief material was arranged by IRP 5th Battalion. Mr Azad also announced 50 tents for the fire victims from his Member Parliament Fund.
The Union Minister also had a meeting with the District and Sectoral Officers at Doda to review the post earthquake scenario.
Underlining the need for adopting latest technology while constructing residential as well as Government establishments to make them earthquake proof, he directed the district administration to make detailed survey of the damages caused due to earthquake on war footing basis and ensure that the relief percolates down to the deserving affected families.
Vice-Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority, while participating in the meeting, said that experts of NDMA will visit the affected areas soon to access the damages and apprised that workshops will be conducted by NDMA in the region very soon to educate the people about the measures and the precautions to be taken while facing such natural calamities.
“NDMA has prioritized Ladakh and Kupwara previously but now Doda will be included in the priority list for extending all possible facilities”, he added and assured that NDMA will do its best to provide all possible facilities to earthquake victims.
During the meeting, District Development Commissioner, Doda, Mubarak Singh highlighted the requirement of emergency rescue equipment, portable lighting towers, fire extinguishers and critical care ambulances for the speedy and prompt relief and rescue operation during such eventualities in future.
Member Parliament, Ch Lal Singh, Minister for PWD and, Abdul Majid Wani accompanied Mr Azad during visit to various earthquake affected areas which include Passri Mohalla, GHSS (Girls) Bhaderwah, Tehsil Court Complex Bhaderwah, Tourist Reception Centre Dandi Bhaderwah.
Follow our WhatsApp channel