Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the Home Ministry on Wednesday to depute senior officers immediately from Delhi and other States to coordinate flood-relief operations with the local administration in Srinagar.
Presiding over an emergency meeting, he emphasised the need for a massive effort to ensure basic hygiene and sanitation in the affected areas. Mr. Modi was informed that restoration of telecommunication links had begun with 8,000 landlines being activated in Srinagar. Cellphone services had been partially restored. He called for coordinating the relief efforts of voluntary organisations.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh and Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth attended the meeting.
A total of 76,000 people have been rescued so far by the Armed Forces and the National Disaster Response Force.
Nearly 80 transport aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army have been deployed. The Army has deployed 30,000 troops.
Water bottles, food packets, baby food, blankets and tents have been distributed on a large-scale. Eighty teams of the Armed Forces Medical Services are operating in flood-hit areas.
Army Chief General Dalbir Singh took an overview of flood situation in Srinagar on Wednesday and reiterated the Army’s commitment to continue relief operations.
