Jammu, February 23
Ms Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, was visibly upset as she flew over Jammu and Kashmir areas that had been devastated by unprecedented avalanches and snow resulting in the death of over 250 persons and rendering several homeless.
She appeared disappointed as she met mediapersons here after visiting the affected areas in Srinagar, Anantnag, Rajouri and Poonch. She was unable to visit Doda district as most of the affected areas there were inaccessible.
Ms Gandhi said that the coordination committee set up to oversee the relief and rescue operations would meet twice every day so that the situation could be normalised speedily.
She said that there was a need for better coordination among various agencies engaged in these operations.
She said that colossal damage had been caused due to the avalanches that hit various inhabited areas of the state.
During her visit, Ms Gandhi was accompanied by the Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed, Mrs Ambika Soni, Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, and the Army chief, General J.J. Singh.
Mr Mukherjee announced that in view of seriousness of the situation it had been decided that the Centre would provide additional support to the state for the speedy restoration of infrastructure, including roads and electricity, and also for the rehabitation of those rendered houseless.
Mr Mukherjee said that it was after 37 years that snowfall of that magnitude had occurred in the state. The Army had installed satellite and mobile phones in the areas where the telephone lines had got damaged.
