Central team to assess flood devastation in JK

To take call on declaring September deluge as disaster of severe nature; MHA asks 9 departments, PCI to nominate representatives by Thursday

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Wednesday directed some central ministries to nominate their representatives for constituting a team which will make a spot assessment of damages in the flood-hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir. The team would also take a call on whether the last month’s flood can be declared as a disaster of ‘severe nature’.

Deputy Secretary at MHA, Goutam Ghosh Wednesday wrote to secretaries of nine central government departments and the Planning Commission of India to nominate one officer each for assessing the damages caused by the deluge in Jammu and Kashmir and recommending the amount required for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in flood-hit areas of the State.
The Ministers have been asked to submit the names by Thursday, 3 pm. The ministries have also been informed in advance that Joint Secretary (P-1) MHA, M Gopal Reddy would be heading the central team.
The team, according to the letter, would comprise of officers from different central ministries like Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Water Resources, Power, Road Transport and Highways, Rural Development, Finance, Health and PCI.
The team after visiting the affected areas would decide whether the floods can be declared as a “disaster of severe nature.”
According to sources, the report would be examined by the National Executive Committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The team, according to sources, is expected to visit the State shortly and submit its report to the MHA’s Disaster Management Division.
Pertinently, the floods have wreaked havoc in the State last month, causing colossal loss to private as well as government properties.
The State government has put the quantum of financial losses due to the flood at over Rs one trillion. About 12. 50 lakh families dwelling in 5642 villages were affected by the deluge. On Monday, the State government approached the Centre seeking Rs 44000 crore compensation for the food-affected people.

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