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Focusing on Kashmir valley, admn forgets victims of Jammu region
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‘Nothing but death was in front of us’
World’s largest copter Mi-26 joins rescue operations
Volunteers use plastic drums, tyre tubes to rescue people
Left without food and shelter, Dalit family rues govt apathy
Fresh landslides damage 100 more houses in Panchari
Chief Justice Kumar reaches Jammu after 3 days of
trauma
Jammu farm varsity suffers huge losses due to flash floods
Centre approves Pakal Dul hydroelectric project in J&K
3 militants killed in Keran sector
Rising heart attacks among youth linked to childhood stress: Study
Panchayat body lauds Centre, Army’s role
Airtel restores network in flood-hit J&K Badminton trials from September 16
Jammu varsity postpones all inter-college tourneys Jammu teacher gets national award Tawi Trekkers gen secy to judge sport climbing
championship Jammu passport office to cater to entire state
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Focusing on Kashmir valley, admn forgets victims of Jammu region
Jammu, September 10 Dozens of families, living in the relief camp at Bhagwati Nagar are now crying for food. They alleged that the administration has stopped food supply to the camp for the past two days. Neetu Devi, a flood victim who lost her mud house along with other household items, said, “We have lost everything, even the uniforms of our children. We only managed to save ourselves and our children. The rest everything is washed away.” “The administration sent food for us till Sunday, but we didn’t get anything after Monday. Children and women are falling ill,” she added. The camp members say they are forced to go out to arrange some food and some religious organisations have also helped them feed their children. Raj Kumar, 52, another flood victim at the Bhagwati Nagar relief camp said, “The administration has totally ignored us. No one is here with us, only a security guard is here. There is no medical assistance and no food.” “We are left with no other option but to protest against the administration and block the roads as well. The administration should settle us somewhere. We cannot go back to the river bank, as we have nothing left over there,” he added. The camp members accused the administration of focusing only on the Kashmir valley and they have ignored the residents of the Jammu region, who have lost their houses in the flood. “The administration is playing with the lives of the victims of the Jammu region. Whenever we try to approach them, they always say that lakhs of people are trapped in Kashmir, we are busy rescuing them,” he added. Expressing shock, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Shantmanu said, “I was not aware of the fact that the food supply has been stopped to the camp, as we were busy in the rescue operations in Kashmir.” “I will check with the Deputy Commissioner and resume it immediately,”
he added. 'Government sent food only till
Sunday’
We have lost everything. We only managed to save ourselves and our children. The rest everything got washed away. The administration sent food for us till Sunday, but we didn’t get anything after Monday. Children and women are falling
ill. — Neetu Devi, flood victim |
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125 choppers, aircraft engaged in relief and rescue
operations
Jammu, September 10 This is one of the biggest rescue operations launched by the Air Force, Air Commodore PE Patange, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station, Jammu, told The Tribune. Operation ‘Rahat-I’ was launched during the Uttarakhand catastrophe last year. The operation ‘Rahat-II’ is going on the war-footing with the Air Force carriers operating 24x7 to rescue the trapped people from different parts of the Valley and the Jammu region. During the operation, food items and water is also being dispatched to the cut-off areas of the state to save people from starvation. Long queues of trucks and other vehicles were witnessed outside the Jammu Air Force station today, waiting for their turn to unload food materials. Keeping in view the unavailability of food in the cut-off areas, the authorities today dispatched over 60 tons of eatables to Kashmir and some remote areas of Jammu province from here. “Sixty one helicopters and 65 transport air-craft have been pressed into the service to intensify the operation ‘Rahat-II’,” said Air Commodore Patange. In the cut-off areas of Jammu province, choppers are being employed to air drop food packets and water bottle as inhabitants in these parts have been confronting scarcity of drinking water. “Only yesterday we dispatched 12 tons of mineral water bottles for the affected areas,” the officer said, adding that freshly-cooked food was also dispatched to the affected areas. “We have pressed into one chopper into service in the Banihal area, one in Reasi and one in Mahore to evacuate the marooned persons and to provide food to the trapped people,” he said. Air Commodore Patange said mineral water, cooked food, bread and butter, packed juices, bananas, milk and milk powder was today airdropped in some inaccessible areas. He added that similar type of air-bridging operations were launched from the big cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad. |
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‘Nothing but death was in front of us’
Jammu, September 10 “Nothing but death was in front of us because water was gradually engulfing the hotel where nearly 35 persons were staying,” he recalled. “There was total chaos and confusion. Following the directions from one of the employees of the hotel we started trekking towards the Shakracharaya temple situated on a height,” he said, adding, “Somehow we reached the temple but it was already overcrowded.” The group of six youth, working in a government department, was not known to the topography of this belt, but they put their lives at stake. “We rested for a while there and later turned towards the Jyestha Mata temple as we were told that arrangements have been made for the trapped people there,” he said. Although some arrangements were made for the trapped persons on the premises of the Jyastha Mata temple, it was also overcrowded and the number was swelling with very passing hour. After spending a day at the temple, Vijay along with his colleagues took shelter on a government premises where employees of other departments had also taken shelter. Vijay and his colleagues had gone to Srinagar to take up some demands related to their department with the higher-ups. “It was all due to the valiant efforts of the Army and the Air Force that we are alive today,” Deepak Sharma, one of the colleagues of Vijay Kumar, told The Tribune. After spending five days in floods, Vijay Kumar and his colleagues landed at the Jammu Air Force station this morning at 3.30. Dr Tajinder Singh, who was saved by the Army men from the Shivpura area along with his family members, is still shell-shocked. “It is like a second life,” he said while narrating the horrifying story of his survival. “Water has engulfed our entire building. It was all due to the efforts of the Army men that we are alive today,” he said while fear still lurking large on his
face. Tajinder Singh along with his family members safely landed at the Jammu air base as he was rescued by the Army along with some VIPs from the MLA hostel. Singh was lavishing all praise on the Army for saving the precious human lives. “We were stranded in our rooms. There was chaos everywhere. We thought all is over but due to the God’s grace, we have been able to come back,” said Surjeet Sharma, another survival, who had gone to Srinagar along with his friend. “I don’t know whether my family members are dead or alive. I have no news of them. There is no one to help us. My sister and her children are trapped in our house in Jawahar
Nagar. With no cellphones working, I have lost track of everyone,”
Rolma, who originally hails from Leh, said urging every passersby to get her family out from her house in Jawahar Nagar which has been hit by flash floods. |
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World’s largest copter Mi-26 joins rescue operations
Chandigarh, Sept 10 With its ability to carry massive payloads, the Mi-26 will be employed in a strategic role to position heavy loads like hospital containers, generators, pre-fabricated bridges and construction material in inaccessible areas. “Over the next few days, we will operate out of Awantipora and undertake special tasks that other helicopters like the Mi-17 cannot perform,” said Wg Cdr GS Tung, Commanding Officer of the 126 Helicopter Flight that operates the Mi-26. “In the areas where we will be operating, the Mi-26 can airlift up to 12 tonnes of load compared to 2 tonnes by the Mi-17,” he added. Since the giant helicopter requires at least a 100-metre-long helipad and the terrain where it will be operating is mountainous, the air crew expects to ferry load slung under its fuselage, which would then be lowered to the ground while hovering. The Mi-26 today airlifted a ground power unit that helps the aircraft to start engines along with fuel and some other essential supplies to Awantipora. Several tonnes of support equipment is required to sustain Mi-26 operations. The Mi-26 was also extensively used in the rescue operations following the devastating floods that hit Uttarakhand last year. It airlifted fuel bowsers to remote areas to provide the much needed aviation fuel for helicopters engaged in evacuating marooned people. It also airlifted heavy equipment and bulldozers for repairing and re-establishing road connectivity, besides evacuating flood victims. |
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Volunteers use plastic drums, tyre tubes to rescue people
Srinagar, September 10 As the region faces shortage of both simple and motorised boats, the local volunteers have made improvised floating devices to wade through the floodwaters to rescue the trapped people. The devices include inflated tyre tubes, plastic drums, wooden beds and logs, tables and other things which float and can withstand weight. “Though the Army has pressed boats into service, there are not enough boats. We have made a boat out of a bed and tied plastic drums to it so that we reach the people in the interiors to rescue them,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of Qamarwari, who is helping in the rescue operations. “The floodwaters have reached areas where no official rescue team can reach. So many youth decided to make innovative boats,” Fayaz said. Volunteers are rushing to various areas along with inflated tyre tubes, plastic drums and various other things to rescue the trapped. The innovative boats have also become a necessity as Kashmir is running short of fuel for trucks and tractors which ferried flood-hit in the past few days. Most of the trucks and tractors have stopped operating as the fuel shortage has hit the region. The worst-hit sector due to the fuel shortage is the government machinery which is unable to move. The state government has sought airlifting of fuel to cater to the need of vehicles carrying out rescue
operations. |
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Left without food and shelter, Dalit family rues govt apathy
Lalyal, September 10 "We live a hand-to-mouth life and cannot store ration for more than couple of days, but everything was washed away in the flood on Saturday morning," he said while recounting the horror. "As the bund on the left side of the Tawi breached, water flooded our house within no time. We could not get the time to even pick up few kilograms of rice and pulses which we had stored for the family," he said.
Balbir along with his wife Asha Devi and two daughters were forced to take shelter on the roof of an adjoining pucca house for couple of hours before they were rescued by security forces. "Amid downpour we spent nearly two hours on the roof crying for help. Our lives were saved by the brave soldiers who ultimately listened to our cry and air-lifted us to safety," said
Balbir. Balbir's kucha house was situated on the bank of Tawi on Barzala-Lalyal road, about 28 km west of Jammu city. The hapless family was waiting for the relief for the last two days, but since there was no immediate help from the government, Balbir along with his wife has started the repair of his house. "Except lip service nothing has been offered by the authorities and politicians," rued
Balbir. It was only after the residents of Barzala and Lalyal collected some ration for family that Balbir could feed his daughters. Ironically, Balbir's family had faced the same situation in 1983 when their house was washed away by the rain and floods. "This time situation is worse than 1983. It is really difficult for us to pick up the threads of life this time," said Balbir with tears in his eyes. |
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Fresh landslides damage 100 more houses in Panchari
Panchari (Udhampur), Sept 10 As per reports, last night, more than 100 houses at two different locations in the Ladha Dhar area, the remotest part of Panchari tehsil, were buried under fresh landslides, but luckily no human loss was reported as all the residents had been shifted to safer places after the landslides at the Panjar panchayat area of the tehsil. Meanwhile, additional NDRF and Army personnel were air dropped at the Saroli Dhar Top, adjacent to the Panjar panchayat, to speed up the evacuation of remaining 38 bodies, feared trapped under the debris after a hill abruptly came down on Saturday. “As it is raining intermittently at Panjar the rescue work has been hampered. But the NDRF and Army men are putting their lives at risk to make sure that we get the bodies of our family members, relatives and friends. We salute them,” said the sarpanch of Panjar panchayat Ramesh Singh. He added that local residents were helping in the evacuation process. “We are trying our level best, but in the absence of road connectivity we are unable to move JCBs and dozers to the site. The only option available is manual evacuation. We are continuing our efforts….Rain is also creating hurdles,” said the Additional
Superintendent of Police Khalil Poswal. |
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Chief Justice Kumar reaches Jammu after 3 days of
trauma
Jammu, September 10 “I returned to Jammu after three days of trauma in Kashmir valley. I was evacuated from my residence around 2 am on Saturday night after floodwaters gushed into my house. All my personal belongings were salvaged but other goods were damaged completely,” Justice Kumar told The Tribune. He said although the record of the High Court was safe, his library including books were flooded. “The High Court complex was submerged in 14-15 foot water and I have requested Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take immediate measures to restore the functioning of the High Court at the earliest,” he said, adding that he has urged the Chief Minister to provide make shift arrangement at any other place in Srinagar till the High Court building was dewatered and normal functioning was restored. It is possible to deal with pending cases, but the fresh petitions cannot be entertained, he said. Justice Kumar said he took a helicopter from the Hari Niwas Palace and reached the Srinagar airport around 8.30 am this morning. “I boarded the flight to Jammu from Srinagar airport around 1 pm,” he said. “My heart goes out to everyone who is in trouble at this critical juncture. I hope the Army and all other agencies engaged in rescue operations will save each and every individual,” Justice Kumar said. The flash floods have paralysed the functioning of judiciary across the state. The High Court building in Srinagar was submerged in deep water while the lawyers too had been facing difficult time as their libraries have also been damaged by floodwaters. |
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Jammu farm varsity suffers huge losses due to flash floods
Jammu, September 10 Pradeep K Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-J, said the flash floods on the intervening night of September 5 and 6 created havoc and caused huge losses to the SKUAST-J. “The university was affected by flash floods in the Balole nullah and the Tawi. Water from the nullah broke the boundary wall of the university at three places, damaging major part of the front wall,” he said. He said an emergency meeting of statutory officers of the university was called to assess the losses caused by the flash floods and to take further action. Taking stock of the situation, classwork was suspended till September 14. “The committees are constituted to monitor the losses caused by flash floods, and coordinate restoration of activities. The exact figures of damage caused by the flash floods at Chatha and other places in SKUAST-J would be available soon. However, as per the initial rough estimate the losses may run into crores of rupees,” he said. Sharma said the flood water entered into offices, classrooms and labs and damaged all electrical gadgets, laboratory equipment, computers, printers, computer lab and student centre. “The flood water washed away 10-year-old experimental fruit orchard. The internal roads of the university are badly damaged at several locations,” he said. He said the RS Pura Campus of the university was inundated. The flood water has damaged the entire farm area, lawns and also entered inside the administrative block and divisions causing damage to the building. |
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Centre approves Pakal Dul hydroelectric project in J&K
New Delhi, September 10 The approval for the construction of the hydroelectric plant in Jammu and Kashmir came at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. Construction of the Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project at an estimated cost of Rs 8,112.12 crore includes interest during construction (IDC) and financing charges (FC) of Rs 500.76 crore at March 2013 price level with a debt equity ratio of 70:30, an official statement said. The approval also includes subordinate debt of Rs 2,500 crore on the conditions and waivers of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in a scheduled completion period of 66 months. The construction of the hydroelectric plant would leave Jammu and Kashmir with excess power which would be sold to the other northern states, helping to reduce power shortage in the region. The approval also includes infusion of equity up to Rs 1,605 crore by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in M/s Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited for the construction of Pakal Dul and for initial investment in Kiru (660 MW) and Kwar (560 MW) hydro electric projects. The Cabinet also gave its nod for the ex-post facto approval for formation and incorporation of M/s Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited, a joint venture between NHPC, Jammu and Kashmir State Development Corporation (JKSPDC) and PTC. While the NHPC and JKSPDC would hold 49 per cent stake each, two per cent stake would be held by the PTC. The joint venture partners would arrange equity by their internal resources. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has sanctioned exemption from work contract tax (WCT)/entry tax and waiver of free power and water user charges for a period of 10 years from the completion of the project. The state shall, however, purchase only 49 percent of power from the project. The remaining power will be allocated to the constituent states in the northern region, excluding Himachal Pradesh (which has refused to purchase power due to low requirement), with the guidelines for allocation of power from Central Hydro Generating Stations. The project would help in reducing the power shortage in the northern region and partly to utilise storage provisions of the Indus Water Treaty. It would also help in uplifting the remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir. In some other decisions, the Cabinet also approved the implementation of integrated coffee development project for the 12th Five Year Plan period with an outlay of Rs 950 crore. The main objective of the scheme is to develop improved varieties and technologies for increasing production, productivity and quality of coffee, to promote Indian coffee in overseas and domestic markets, and encourage value addition to improve unit value realisation, an official statement said. In another decision, the Union Cabinet also gave its approval for implementing a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North-Eastern Region. The proposal entails an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,336.18 crore. State to get more power
The construction of the hydroelectric plant would leave Jammu and Kashmir with excess power which would be sold to the other northern states, helping to reduce power shortage in the region. |
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3 militants killed in Keran sector
Srinagar, September 10 The militants were killed in an encounter close to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector, 135 km from Srinagar, after the security forces noticed suspected movement in the area late last night. “As militants were challenged they opened fire triggering an encounter. Three militants, whose identity is yet to be established, were killed in the eight-hour-long gunfight,” a Defence source said, adding that the three
were believed to be Pakistani nationals. “Three AK 47 rifles and some ammunition was also recovered from the encounter site,” the source said. The search operation was going on in the
area till the last reports came in. Defence sources said the militants might step up their efforts to sneak into the Valley in the coming days as large portion of the LoC has been damaged due to the recent rain and flash floods. The Army, however, said the troops were on the alert and would not allow any attempt from across the border to push in militants to this side. Before the flash floods, the Army was engaged in massive search operation in the Kalaroos forest area of Kupwara. Six militants and two soldiers had
been killed in the week-long operation. |
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Rising heart attacks among youth linked to childhood stress: Study
Jammu, September 10 In the past 12 months, Dr Chanana has treated more than 1200 patients out of which 320, 210, 70 patients were under the age of 50, 40 and 30. As he studied them for psychosocial risk factors, he concluded that childhood stress was major risk factor in heart attacks under 40 and 30. Around 40 per cent of patients under the age of 30 had stressful childhood. Major reasons for stress noted were parent's behaviour, financial issues, family explosion and abuse. Further, to revalidate his analysis, Dr Chanana studied important research finding across the globe. He quoted an important finding, published recently in journal "Hypertension", said young adults who were exposed to adverse experiences as children have greater signs of unhealthy blood vessel function than young people without a traumatic past. A recent sensitive report published in journal "Stroke" said women who had been sexually abused during childhood had greater thickening of the arteries with plaque accumulation in mid-life, compared to their counterparts who had never experienced childhood sexual
abuse. Dr Chanana said these finding revealed how important it was to
consider childhood stress as risk factors that could lead to the development of cardiovascular problems later in life. |
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Panchayat body lauds Centre, Army’s role
Jammu, September 10 AJKPC president Anil Sharma in statement here said: “People of Jammu and Kashmir acknowledge the significant role played by the Union government, the Army, the Air Force and other Central government agencies in reaching out to the affected people in this hour of grief and saving many precious lives.” The disaster caused by the natural fury was enormous and it was not possible for the state government to initiate relief and rehabilitation efforts, he said. Sharma said the work done by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was also commendable and their dedicated and continuous efforts have saved thousands of lives. “We hope in days to come, the Union government would extend more financial as well as logistic support to the state machinery to come out of this catastrophe,” Sharma said. |
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The IAF today employed the world’s largest helicopter, Mi-26, for the ongoing flood relief operations in Jammu and Kashmir, with the
first sortie this morning from Chandigarh to Awantipora, near Srinagar. With its ability to carry massive payloads, the Mi-26 will be employed in a strategic role to position heavy loads like hospital containers, generators, pre-fabricated bridges and construction material in inaccessible areas.
Srinagar, September 10
Devastated by the deluge, the family of Balbir Chand, a landless Dalit peasant, is facing possible starvation in the absence of any help from the government.
"We have nothing to feed our children. Some kilograms of ration which we had stored in our hut was washed away in the flood," Balbir said while pointing towards his collapsed house.
Following extensive loss to buildings, infrastructure and other property due to the recent flash floods, the
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, has suspended its classwork till September 14.
Pradeep K Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-J, said the flash floods on the intervening night of September 5 and 6 created havoc and caused huge losses to the
SKUAST-J.
Jammu, September 10
