Rajouri: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he will personally approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a proposal seeking a special central package for the flood-affected districts of Rajouri and Poonch. He also noted that the union territory does not have the financial capacity to meet the entire cost of restoration on its own.
“While there are some things we can manage on our own, the reality is that Jammu and Kashmir does not have the financial capacity to bear the entire cost of restoration.
“After last year’s floods, the Central government approved a package of nearly Rs 1,400 crore for Jammu and Kashmir. This time too, we will prepare a detailed package and seek Central assistance,” the chief minister told reporters after chairing a review meeting on flood relief and rehabilitation in Rajouri.
He said floods, flash floods and cloudbursts are automatically treated as natural disasters and do not require any separate declaration before seeking Central assistance. “As soon as the proposal is ready, I will personally submit it to the prime minister,” Abdullah said.
Reviewing the aftermath of the July 19 flash floods that claimed four lives in Rajouri district, the chief minister said the government’s response had been carried out in three phases — rescue, recovery and rehabilitation.
“Our first priority was to minimise the loss of human lives. We regret the loss of four precious lives in this district. Had the district administration and police not acted promptly overnight, the death toll could have been much higher,” he said.
He said the government has now entered the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, with priority being given to restoring damaged infrastructure and public services. Abdullah said electricity supply has been restored almost completely, while drinking water remains a major concern as several Jal Shakti Department water supply schemes were damaged in the floods.
He said suggestions made by local MLAs, including the deployment of water tankers and hand pumps in affected areas, would be implemented.
The chief minister assured compensation for damaged houses and said alternative plots would be provided to families whose land had been washed away so that they could rebuild their homes.
He also announced that farmers who lost their crops and agricultural land would be provided free ration for six months to one year.
Highlighting long-term mitigation measures, Abdullah said he has directed the flood control department to immediately construct a protection bund at Bela colony to prevent floodwaters from entering residential areas during future floods.
He also announced plans to construct a new mini secretariat in Rajouri after the existing Deputy Commissioner’s office building was found to be structurally unsafe. “This is no longer a matter of choice but a necessity. The present building is no longer fit for use. A project report is being prepared, and we expect the new mini secretariat to cost around Rs 50-60 crore. We hope to complete it within the next two to three years,” he said.
Abdullah also acknowledged that compensation under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for structural damage had become inadequate due to inflation.
“The SDRF compensation has not been revised for nearly seven to eight years. We have decided to enhance it,” he said.
On the issue of vehicles damaged in the floods, the chief minister said he has directed the police to expedite registration of FIRs so that affected owners do not face difficulties in claiming insurance.
“Some people may attempt to misuse the process, but genuine victims should not suffer. The SSP has assured us that the cases will be processed expeditiously,” he said.
He said MLA Iftikhar Sahib raised two or three important issues concerning Rajouri town.
“These included the implementation of AMRUT Phase-II for Rajouri, identifying an alternative site for the Kala bus stand, and issues relating to power and water supply. We will certainly examine all the points”, he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday inspected the strategically important Sungal tunnel in Rajouri district, with officials informing him that the work is in its final stages.
The chief minister inspected the tunnel project on the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway while returning from Rajouri to Jammu and was briefed on the status of construction and the remaining works.
Officials said essential services, including ambulances, are currently being allowed to use the tunnel to facilitate emergency movement.
Abdullah directed officials to expedite the remaining works while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety.
Officials of the Border Roads Organisation’s Project Sampark said the 2.79-km-long tunnel, being constructed across the Kalidhar Range, will reduce travel time between Jammu and the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch by around 40 to 45 minutes and significantly improve connectivity in the region.
Later, Abdullah met BSF Assistant Commandant (Works) Nabeel Ahmed Wani during his visit to Rajouri.
During the interaction, the chief minister enquired about Wani’s service, previous postings and family background, and appreciated his contribution to the force.
Wani, who secured All India Rank 1 in the BSF Assistant Commandant (Works) Examination, 2016, has completed 10 years of service in the Border Security Force.
Inaugurates ‘Tawi Wonderland’ park in Jmu, says will boost tourism
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday inaugurated a ‘Tawi Wonderland’ Park in Jammu and said it would emerge as a major tourist attraction, further asserting that his government is working to tap the tourism potential of every region in the UT.
Speaking after inaugurating the park here, Abdullah said Jammu, traditionally known as the “city of temples”, needed to offer visitors more attractions beyond religious tourism.
Omar said he was delighted to inaugurate the new waste to wonder park, describing it as a unique addition to Jammu’s tourism landscape.
“As I said in my address, Jammu is known as the city of temples. People generally come here to pay obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and visit temples. But at the same time, they also want to see tourist attractions that are unique and not available elsewhere,” he told reporters here.
The chief minister said the waste to wonder park, developed on land that was used as a garbage dumping site until two years ago, has now been transformed into a unique tourism asset.
The park features replicas of 14 iconic monuments from across the world, including the White House, the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest Monastery, the Statue of Unity, Hawa Mahal, Agra Fort, the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Taj Mahal. It also has children’s play areas, a small lake with pedal boats and food stalls serving local cuisine, including rajma-chawal.
Abdullah said while he was delighted to be in Jammu for the inauguration, it felt special for yet another reason. “Perhaps, for the first time we are all holding an event right in front of the residence of the President of the United States — the White House. If you look towards the window on the upper right side, you might even spot Mr Donald Trump behind the curtains,” he jested.
The chief minister said the park also showcases replicas of some of India’s iconic landmarks, including the Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Hawa Mahal, Agra Fort, the Chenab Bridge and the Taj Mahal.
The government is not ignoring the tourism potential of any region, he said and referred to two recent Cabinet decisions aimed at boosting tourism infrastructure.
The Cabinet, he said, has approved leasing the old ITDC hotel in Gulmarg to private players for 40 years and decided to hand over the Mantalai Yoga Centre in Chenani, originally established by Dhirendra Brahmachari, for development as a wellness tourism facility.
Abdullah said the decision would help transform the remote hilly area of Mantalai into an important destination for wellness tourism.
Replying to questions on the recent floods in Rajouri and Poonch districts, the chief minister said no compensation could make up for the loss of human lives, but the government would extend every possible assistance to bereaved families.
He said the floods have caused extensive damage to houses, agricultural land, standing crops, livestock and government infrastructure, particularly assets belonging to the Public Works (R&B), Jal Shakti and Power departments.
“We will prepare a comprehensive relief package and seek special financial assistance from the Centre for these two districts so that damaged infrastructure can be restored and affected people rehabilitated,” Abdullah said.
The chief minister declined to comment on political issues, saying he would confine himself to discussing the Smart City project, electric buses, the waste to wonder Park and Jammu’s development.
He inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of housing and urban development projects worth over Rs 60 crore in Jammu and adjoining areas, asserting that development work must continue irrespective of political circumstances.
The projects include foundation stones for works worth over Rs 28 crore and inauguration of completed projects valued at around Rs 32 crore, officials said.
Among the major projects, Abdullah laid the foundation stone for a Rs 23.04 crore depot for 100 electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme at Bhagwati Nagar. The facility will support the operation and maintenance of an electric bus fleet to promote sustainable public transport, officials said.
He also laid the e-foundation stone for a Rs 5.14 crore project to rejuvenate and restore a flowing nallah at Tan Talab Kundarorian in Katra to improve sanitation, ecology and the urban environment.
