Omar meets flood, landslide-hit residents of Ramban, efforts on to restore highway

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was surrounded by angry residents demanding rehabilitation aid when he visited the flood and landslide-hit Ramban district on Tuesday morning to hold a review meeting with deputy commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary.

Local residents, including women, surrounded his car and raised slogans against officials, demanding the Jammu and Kashmir government fulfil its promise to rehabilitate them. Abdullah stepped out of the car and assured the protesters that their problems would be addressed on priority. The protesters did not allow his vehicle to proceed for a few minutes, while security personnel encircled him. Banihal National Conference MLA Sajjad Shaheen also tried to pacify the protesters.

This was the chief minister’s second visit to Ramban since Monday evening when he visited Magor, one of the worst-hit landslide sites where National Highway 44, connecting Jammu and Srinagar, is blocked since Sunday morning. Three people, including two minor siblings, were killed when two houses at Bagahana village collapsed due to flashfloods and landslides early on Sunday.

Later, Abdullah left to attend the meeting at Ramban, where officers briefed him about the quantum of damage and updated him on the restoration efforts.

“I have not been able to go to Dharamkote but the MLA is there. We are trying our best to restore the highway as soon as possible. We are assessing the damage. We are arranging ration and water for the people… The DC has been directed to start a ‘langar (community kitchen)’ to provide food to the people. Tankers are being arranged to provide water,” the chief minister Abdullah told reporters at Ramban.

“This is the third day. In these three days, senior ministers have come here every day. Yesterday, I inspected the situation on foot. The restoration work is being done as rapidly as possible. Our first priority was to save invaluable lives. We evacuated people and took them to safe areas,” he said.

“Our second priority is to reconnect the roads. Restoration of the roads is underway. The officers have assured that the single track of the highway will be opened within 24 hours. The debris will be removed after the highway is reopened. Relief material is being provided. After the restoration, we will assess and provide compensation as per the norms of the SDRF and NDRF. I am sure we will get all the necessary help from the Centre,” the CM said

“There is no shortage of supplies in Kashmir at the moment–we have enough for the next three to four days. However, rumours spread quickly here. I do not want people lining up at petrol pumps. As a precaution, I have asked the department to send a few tankers to Kashmir via the Mughal Road to demonstrate that the road is not cut off and we have alternate supply routes. I want to reiterate–there is no shortage, but this step is only to reassure the public,” he said.

After visiting the area on Monday night, he said the rehabilitation of affected people is his government’s priority besides reopening the highway, which the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has said is expected to take five days.

Assessment of losses in underway and the flashflood-affected families would be given assistance from the PM’s Relief Fund and resources available with the Jammu and Kashmir government. “People will be provided adequate relief and compensation,” he said on Monday night.

Meanwhile, men and machinery are engaged in clearing debris between the Banihal and Ramban stretch. Officials are hopeful that single-lane traffic would be through on the stretch in a day or two. The alternative Mughal Road, which connects Shopian in south Kashmir with Rajouri in Jammu region, is open for two-way traffic.