Police informs CM about anger among flood-affected

Police have informed Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah about widespread protests by flood-affected people across the Valley over slow distribution of relief work, lack of drinking water and power outages.
According to officials, Omar during a recent meeting with top civil and police officials was informed that protests were being held in different parts of the state over slow distribution of relief work and lack of drinking facilities.
The CM was informed that both in the city and rural areas of Kashmir, people have staged protests against the government for not doing enough to mitigate the sufferings of flood-affected people.
“Omar was informed that in city areas of Qamarwari and  Hyderpora, people had protested against the government for power outages and lack of drinking water facilities. In Narbal, people had staged dharna against non distribution of ex-gratia relief cheques to them,” sources said.
The worst-ever floods witnessed by the Valley last month damaged over three lakh structures. Over 95,000 houses were completely destroyed and lakhs of people rendered homeless.
After the floods, most of the flood-affected people have been complaining that they have not received any relief and have been taking to roads to protest slow pace of relief operations and delay in disbursement of ex-gratia relief and free ration.
Sources said police officials informed CM that protests were not only held in Srinagar but also in South Kashmir’s Anantnag and Pulwama districts.
They said Omar directed officials to ensure that there is no laxity in the distribution of relief among the flood affected families and ration should reach the people, who were hit by the water fury.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Shah, said people have been staging protests and they have directed concerned departments to restore the power and water supply at the earliest.
“Power supply has been restored in most of the areas where it was affected due to the damage caused to the transformers,” he said.

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