J-K chief secretary meets central team, urges immediate aid for flood-hit districts

Srinagar, Sep 8 (PTI) The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) on Monday met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and held a detailed meeting regarding the recent floods that affected the Union Territory.

"The Chief Secretary today held a detailed meeting with the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) that arrived in the Union Territory to assess the damages caused by the recent floods," an official spokesperson said.

The deluge affected several districts, damaging homes, infrastructure, standing crops and horticultural produce.

While no casualties were reported in the Kashmir Valley, the mountainous districts were severely impacted by flash floods, which resulted in loss of lives and extensive damage to public infrastructure. The agriculture and horticulture sectors also suffered heavy losses, with large swathes of paddy fields and apple orchards bearing the brunt.

The IMCT visited several flood-affected areas in south Kashmir districts on Monday.

During the meeting, the chief secretary made a strong case for immediate central assistance to restore vital infrastructure such as power lines, water supply schemes, schools, roads, bridges and other public utilities.

He underscored the need for a comprehensive safety audit of critical public infrastructure, particularly schools, healthcare facilities, bridges and roads, to ensure their resilience and continued utility.

The chief secretary also sought special relief for farmers whose crops or agricultural lands were damaged. He proposed that the Centre bear the farmers' share of the premium under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), enabling affected growers to avail insurance coverage for crop losses.

Highlighting connectivity issues, he urged immediate directives to central road agencies to expedite restoration of damaged roads and support new connectivity projects in flood-hit areas that remain cut off.

Later, Dulloo reviewed the restoration measures in the Jammu division. He took a detailed appraisal from the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu and then sought updates from each Deputy Commissioner regarding the status of essential services, relief and rehabilitation measures, and the restoration of connectivity, electricity, water and other public infrastructure.

The IMCT has already visited several of the worst-affected areas in the Jammu region, which bore the maximum impact of the recent floods and landslides.

Over the past month, inclement weather has left J-K reeling, with around 150 people losing their lives and key roads, including the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, frequently blocked, severely disrupting traffic and access. PTI MIJ HIG HIG