The Hindu : Front Page : Manmohan for speeding up relief works in Kashmir

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Monday, Feb 28, 2005

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Front Page

Manmohan for speeding up relief works in Kashmir

By Our Staff Reporter

The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, arrive at Kishtwar (Doda district) after an aerial survey of the snow-affected areas of the Kashmir Valley on Sunday. — PTI

JAMMU, FEB. 27. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, said today that there was a need to accelerate the relief operations in the remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir affected by the series of avalanches last weekend. The worst is over and the Centre would extend full cooperation to the State Government in rehabilitating the affected people, he told a press conference here at the end of his visit to the affected areas.

Dr. Singh said: "There has been extensive damage in the remote parts of the State and I have acquainted myself with the problems of Jammu and Kashmir. At present we have confirmed deaths of 278 persons in the State. The relief agencies are carrying out their task but they should make sure that the operations reach out to the distant parts of Jammu and Kashmir so that the poor and hapless people there benefit."

Underscoring the need for simultaneous rehabilitation operations in the State, Dr. Singh said: "We have decided that each family which has lost a member would get Rs. one lakh from the National Relief Fund. The Central Government would cooperate with the State Government in carrying out relief operations on [a] long-term basis. We have already announced Rs. 50 crores for providing relief to the affected people and more will be allocated if the need is felt.

"A Central team would come here tomorrow to make an assessment about the funds to be provided for rebuilding roads and electricity infrastructure in the State."

Praising the armed forces' role in the relief operations, he said: "The armed forces have done excellent work in the remote parts of the State and it is due to them many precious lives were saved. Everyone has praised their work in the most difficult terrain but let me utilise this opportunity to appreciate their work which has saved so many precious lives of our country men."

To another question, Dr. Singh ruled out the opening of the Uri-Muzaffarabad road network before April 7 due to logistic problems and said that a decision had already been taken in this regard.

He was accompanied bythe Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, the Union Parliamentary and Urban Affairs Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the People's Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti, and the Udhampur MP, Chowdhary Lal Singh.

Suchetgarh-Sialkot road

The opening of the Suchetgarh-Sialkot road remained a high priority for the Centre as it could unite scores of divided families on both sides of the border and go a long way in increasing people-to-people contacts. Sialkot in Pakistan is 11 km from Suchetgarh.

According to the Prime Minister, talks with Pakistan on opening the road were on and any breakthrough would be announced immediately.

`Reach out to the people'

Later, during a Unified Headquarters meeting that he chaired, Dr. Singh urged the officers involved in the relief operations to reach out to the farthest possible affected village. There was no room for laxity, he added.

According to well-placed sources who attended the meeting, Dr. Singh and Mr. Patil gave clear instructions to the officials not to miss any affected village.

In Kishtwar town of Doda district, Dr. Singh discussed with the people their grievances. Special mention was made about the plight of the Gujjars and Bakerwals who suffered the most in the avalanches. The people on their part complained that no relief agency had reached areas such as Wadwan, Marwah and Dachin. Dr. Singh promised to look into the matter.

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