HM visiting J&K solely to assess flood damage, says Omar
- Shah will chair a high-level review meeting today at Raj Bhawan
- Conduct an aerial survey of flood-affected areas
- Will visit several flood-hit areas, including Katra
Jammu, Aug 31: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday reached here to assess the situation in the aftermath of the heavy rain and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir that left a trail of death and destruction.
Shah landed at the Jammu airport and was received by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, among others. He then headed to the Raj Bhawan, officials said.
Shah is scheduled to chair a high-level meeting at the Raj Bhawan on Monday to review relief measures, they said. “Before the meeting, the Home Minister will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas, including Katra, where 34 pilgrims died and 20 were injured when a landslide hit the old route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on August 26, and the cloudburst-hit Chisoti village in Kishtwar,” sources confirmed.
All senior officials have been instructed to attend the review meeting chaired by the Home Minister.
Following the meeting, Shah will visit various flood-hit areas, including Katra, the base camp for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, and Kishtwar to assess the damage caused by the recent flash floods and cloudbursts.
More than 130 people were killed and over 120 injured while 33 remained untraced following cloudbursts, landslides and flash floods in Kishtwar, Kathua, Reasi and Ramban districts since August 14.
The record rainfall on August 26-27 also caused flash floods in low-lying areas across the region, causing widespread damage to public and private infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that Home Minister Amit Shah is solely coming here to assess the situation in the aftermath of the heavy rains and flash floods and look at our requirement from the Centre (to cope with the crisis). He has no other purpose, and he is not coming for security or development review.
Interacting with reporters in Udhampur after reviewing the ground situation along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which remained blocked for the sixth day on Sunday, Abdullah said he will put forth a detailed report to the Union home minister during the meeting at the Raj Bhavan.
