Will chair high-level meeting at Raj Bhawan on Aug 31
HM to visit Katra, Kishtwar, other places on Sept 1
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in Jammu on a two-day visit of the region from August 31-September 1 during which he will tour flood-affected areas including Katra, the base camp of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji shrine and Kishtwar to assess damage caused by the recent floods in which nearly 150 persons including about 130 pilgrims have been killed.
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Sources told the Excelsior that Shah will reach Jammu in the evening of August 31 and return to New Delhi in the evening of September 1. A team of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will accompany the Home Minister.
Soon after his arrival from New Delhi, Shah will reach Raj Bhawan and chair a high-level meeting to assess damage caused by floods across the Jammu region and steps being taken by the UT administration to restore massive damage caused to infrastructure. Civilian property has also suffered extensive damage.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior MHA and UT administration officials will attend the meeting and brief the Home Minister about damages, relief and rescue operations and restoration of infrastructure across the region.
Cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides have caused extensive damage to Government infrastructure like bridges, roads and civilian property including houses, shops, fields, land etc besides disrupting pilgrimages to holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji in Katra and Machail Mata Ji in Kishtwar.
“Shah is expected to fly to Katra on September 1 and meet injured of Adh-Kunwari landslide victims undergoing treatment at Narayana Hospital. He will undertake aerial survey of Adh-Kunwari where the landslide tragedy struck on August 26 killing 34 pilgrims and injuring many others,” the sources said.
The Home Minister is also expected to visit Kishtwar and then take aerial assessment of damages caused by cloudburst followed by flashfloods at Chashoti, the last motorable road point on way to Machail Mata Ji temple. Cloudburst occurred at Chashoti on August 14 killing 65 people, mostly pilgrims and injuring over 100 others. Thirty-two pilgrims are still missing and are presumed dead having been washed away in the flashflood.
He will also hold aerial survey of fencing on the International Border.
Nearly 150 people have reportedly died in the floods and landslides and they include 97 persons killed in Chashoti, mostly pilgrims excepting three security personnel and 34 yatris of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji shrine who lost their lives at Adh-Kunwari landslide. Seven civilians were killed in floods in Kathua district.
Sources said the Home Minister will also visit some locations in Jammu district which have suffered huge damage because of heavy rains and floods.
He is expected to return to New Delhi in the evening of September 1.
There have been reports that the Central Government could announce relief for the people killed in rain fury and damage caused to civilian property and infrastructure.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Jammu on August 24 and reviewed the situation caused by cloudbursts and floods in the region including Chashoti where 97 persons have been killed. However, he couldn’t visit Chashoti because of adverse weather conditions and reviewed situation there through video conferencing from Raj Bhawan here.
Rajnath was joined by Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
However, tragedy at Adh-Kunwari struck on August 26 and since then Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji pilgrimage has been closed.
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