Srinagar, November 26
The President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, today assured the quake-affected people in Tangdhar near the Line of Control (LoC) of all help and assistance and expressed concern for the sufferers. He expressed sympathies with the residents of the area who had gathered to apprise the President of their agony and losses. He consoled some of the victims who revealed their shocking experiences.
Dr Kalam, who arrived on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir today to take stock of the relief and rehabilitation measures following the October 8 quake, flew to Tangdhar directly from the airport. He advised the quake-hit people of Tanghdar to face challenges with courage and determination. He said both Central and state governments would provide all facilities to the quake victims.
The President, in his address to the people of the area, urged them to provide education to their children without any gender discrimination. He said the demand of bringing Pahari speaking people under the Scheduled Tribe status would be considered sympathetically by the state government. Regarding employment avenues for them, Dr Kalam said the state government would consider the proposal for establishing a polytechnic college in the area. He advised them to set up small-scale income-generating units.
Dr Kalam was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lieut-General
S. K. Sinha (retd), Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Lieut-Gen Deepak Kapoor, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lieut-Gen S.S. Dhillon, GOC 15 Corps, Chief Secretary, Mr Vijay Bakaya, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, BB Vyas and other senior officials. He was briefed by the Divisional Commissioner about the relief and rehabilitation work in the areas ravaged by the earthquake of October 8. The President was earlier scheduled to visit the earthquake-affected areas on November 10 and 11. The visit was cancelled due to the death of former President KR Naraynan on November 9.
After his interaction with locals, the President addressed a Sainik Sammelan at Tangdhar brigade and lauded the role of the Army and Air Force personnel in reaching out to the quake-affected area in an exemplary manner.
Later, the President arrived at the Badami Bagh Cantonment here and interacted with the children of the Muskan orphanage run by the Army. He shared several light moments with the children of other schools also and distributed gifts among them. Winding up the day’s activities, the President visited 92 Base Hospital and interacted with the earthquake and battle casualties of the Army and civilians injured in the quake.
