Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 10: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked the administration to immediately start procuring prefabricated structures ahead of winter season for those rendered homeless due to the devastating floods.
“Let it be 500 prefab structures in the first phase,” Omar told officials during the daily briefing on the post-flood relief and rehabilitation process in the State.
Omar directed the officials to take immediate measures for procuring the structures to gear up for winters.
“You should take a call on this aspect right now and move forward urgently to procure prefab structures. These can be installed at various places to provide shelter to homeless victims of floods,” he said.
The Chief Minister said all arrangements should be finalised to meet challenges on account of providing temporary shelters and warm clothing to the affected families residing in tents and other temporary camps.
He also directed the Housing Department for speedy clearance of permission for reconstruction of houses collapsed due to floods.
He was informed that the Housing Department has earmarked two hectares of land for relocation of families living in Chunti Kul, a backwater canal of Dal Lake.
Omar was also told that the Divisional Administration has so far disbursed Rs 15 crore as interim relief in cases where the houses have been completely damaged by floods.
The Chief Minister asked his Principal Secretary to take up the issue of billing and restoration of cellular services with BSNL and other companies.
“I will myself write to Union Telecommunication Minister in this regard,” he added.
The Chief Minister also asked the Power Development Department not to bill the consumers in flooded areas for the period of inundation. “You cannot bill people for the period they were inundated,” he said.
For the hailstorm affected areas of Jammu region, he directed the Revenue authorities to carry out a special loss assessment report.
Omar also stressed on completing the task of finalizing the list of the affected people whose 50 percent crops have damaged or failed by the floods. It was stated that the list will be finalized by Monday.
The Chief Minister asked the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister to take up the issue of billing and restoring the cell phone services with the BSNL and other Telecom Companies. “I myself will write to Union Telecommunication Minister in this regard”, he added.
The Chief Minister while taking brief on the power supply situation directed the Principal Secretary PDD to take considered view while preparing bills for the families whose houses remained inundated and power supply disconnected. “You cannot bill the people for the period they were inundated”, he said and told the Power Development Department to keep this in mind and take a considered view.
Omar received brief on garbage disposal from the Srinagar city and directed for intensifying disinfection campaign. It was stated that about 1800 tonnes of garbage and silt has been removed from Srinagar on Thursday. It was also stated that no outbreak of any water-borne disease has been reported and no death has taken place anywhere on this count.
The Chief Minister asked the Flood Control Department to restore the drugging operation in River Jhelum. It was stated that 4 lakh cubic meters of material was removed under the drugging operation launched in River Jhelum for couple of years which helped greatly to protect the towns of Baramulla and Sopore from floods.
The meeting was attended by various Ministers, the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries, various Chief Engineers, Heads of the Departments and senior officers.
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