P.V.Anandpadmanabhan

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level emergency meeting to review relief operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

The PM took stock of the situation on the status of operations, especially in Srinagar town and the Kashmir valley. He said in view of the huge magnitude of the calamity the central government would provide full assistance to the state administration in order to ramp-up the rescue and relief operations.

He categorically emphasized that immediate attention be given to providing basic amenities like food and water to people severely affected by the calamity. The Prime Minister said that top priority would be given to provision of essential commodities to the affected people in Srinagar town. He directed the Home Ministry to immediately depute senior officers from Delhi and other states to coordinate the relief operations with local administration in Srinagar.

He further emphasized the need for a massive drive to ensure basic hygiene and sanitation in the water-logged areas of Srinagar. The Prime Minister was informed that the process of restoration of telecommunication links has begun, with about 8000 landlines being activated in Srinagar. Mobile services have also been partially restored.

A total of 76,000 people have been rescued so far by the Armed Forces and NDRF.
He called for coordinating the relief efforts of voluntary organizations as well. The meeting was attended by Defence officials.