Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation arising from heavy rains and flooding in the Jammu region and expressed gratitude for his assurance of continued assistance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“I have spoken to the Prime Minister just a while ago. I briefed him about the situation. I thank him for the deployment of NDRF teams. He has assured me that all support will be given by the central government to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Omar told reporters here.
Abdullah, who visited to the flood-affected areas of Jammu, said on X that he briefed the prime minister about the situation in the worst-hit areas as he toured parts of Jammu, along the banks of the Tawi, that saw extensive damage yesterday.
“I am grateful for his assurance of continued assistance to the people of J&K,” he said.
The chief minister said they were slightly relieved as the rain had stopped on Wednesday.
“As compared to yesterday, we have got slight relief today (Wednesday) with the fact that rains have stopped. Water is slowly receding in low-lying areas. The damage caused by floods is before you. This bridge has been damaged,” he said.
Omar referred to the damage caused to the fourth bridge on the river Tawi in Jammu city during the 2014 floods and said, “I was telling the Divisional Commissioner that in 2014, the bridge had suffered damage at the same spot.
“There is a danger on this side which we were unable to understand properly. Expert teams have to be put on the job to find out why there was damage on this side in 2014 and again today. We will have to take measures so that it does not recur.” Focusing on the threat faced by the people living along the banks of rivers and flood channels, he said, “The houses along the river will always be in danger whenever heavy rains occur. We will have to do something about this. First, we will deal with the current situation, and later, we will look into that.” He said the rains have stopped, water is receding in the river and relief operations have picked up speed.
Referring to the situation in other districts following heavy rains and flash floods, he said that for some days, the situation was bad, particularly in low-lying areas of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua, besides Udhampur and areas close to rivers in Doda and Kishtwar.
“Some districts, which were apprehended to suffer damage, were saved. Rajouri and Poonch areas are okay. First, let us get out of this rain-related problem; then an assessment will be carried out about the damage to houses. After that, a package will be formulated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Omar today said that the continuous rainfall had created a flood-like situation of devastating proportions, despite prior forecasts. Stressing that his government’s immediate priorities were rescue, relief and restoration, the Chief Minister emphasised that strict deadlines must be set to ensure accountability and transparency in the government’s response.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu, the CM reviewed the damages caused by incessant rains across Jammu and Kashmir and assessed preventive and welfare measures in view of the prevailing weather situation.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary; Minister for Health & Medical Education, School Education & Higher Education Sakina Itoo; Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs Javed Ahmed Rana; Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar and Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Satish Sharma and Adviser to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani.
MLAs from Jammu district and the MLA Bani, Dr Rameshwar Singh were present to apprise the Chief Minister of damages in their constituencies.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Jal Shakti Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, IGP Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti, all Deputy Commissioners, , Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation Dr. Devansh Yadav, and other senior officers of the administration also participated.
Appreciating the role of the Jammu district administration, Omar said the rescue of people had been carried out effectively in many affected areas. “Relief delivery is our next mission. We have to make arrangements for those whose houses have been damaged. It is our responsibility to look after them until they are settled,” he stressed.
He directed that an immediate assessment of damages be undertaken so that a financial package could be pursued with the Government of India. “We must ensure nobody remains hungry and that there is no outbreak of water-borne diseases. Debris removal and deployment of men and machinery will be our immediate focus,” he added.
He underlined the importance of setting practical and time-bound targets for public services. “We have to be honest and give realistic hopes. The people must be presented with a practical picture,” he said.
Taking note of power outages and disruptions in water supply, the Chief Minister directed temporary arrangements and augmentation of water supply through tankers wherever required. “Restoration of water and power supply is our supreme priority. Silt removal from canals and nallahs must be ensured to avoid further aggravation or recurrence of backflow of rainwater,” he instructed.
The meeting also heard suggestions from MLAs, which the Chief Minister assured would be considered during the relief and restoration phase. Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir provinces briefed the CM on measures taken during the rains and floods, while Deputy Commissioners reported on district-level actions.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the status of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. He directed that in case the highway did not open in the coming days, essential supplies to the Valley must be ensured through the Mughal Road.
The CM also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 6 lakh for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the tragic landslide at Katra near Mata Vaishno Devi shrine - Rs 4.00 lakh from State Disaster Relief Fund and Rs 2.00 lakh per deceased person from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He also announced relief for victims of other flood-related incidents reported across Jammu and Kashmir over the past two days with compensation from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Chief Minister also announced Rs 1 lakh for each person who sustained severe injuries and Rs 25,000 to 50,000 for those who suffered minor injuries in these incidents.
In order to ensure timely response and assistance, the Chief Minister has directed the advance placement of Rs 10 crore with each Deputy Commissioners in Jammu and Kashmir of affected districts. The funds will be utilized to meet immediate requirements of relief, rehabilitation and restoration in the affected areas.
Omar expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and assured that all possible support will be extended by the government to the victims of these natural calamities.