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SRINAGAR: Terming the flood situation in the flood-ravaged Kashmir valley as "very serious", Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he understood the anger of the people affected by the "unprecedented" catastrophe.
Omar also dismissed criticism of his government in the handling of the flood crisis, saying joint efforts involving various agencies including his administration are being made to help people tide over the crisis.
Over 200 people have been killed in floods, landslides and house collapses triggered by torrential rains. Four lakh people still remain stranded. Omar on Tuesday described the floods that has devastated the state as the worst in 109 years.
Asked about the criticism of the state government over the handling of the situation, Omar said if there was heckling, "People are alive to shout slogans, I have no problems."
"It means that these people have been rescued, they have been accommodated somewhere. Where they have been accommodated is not my concern," he said.
"I understand the anger(of people). I don't grudge them. They have gone through difficult times."
Congress leader Saifuddin Soz was heckled in one of the relief camps.
In another incident, Army vehicles loaded with supplies were pelted with stones as they tried to make their way through Srinagar.
Omar said the situation was unprecedented. "The focus is entirely on making available all assets. such situations are handled through joint efforts... It is a very serious humanitarian situation in terms of rescue and relief of the people.
"... It is an unprecedented situation. In nobody's life time, we remember water to be at this level. It is something nobody could have prepared for. The efforts of the central government, army, air force and state government and operations have been ramped up. Supplies are arriving and we are doing our best to rescue people," he said.
The chief minister said there was no "weakness" in coordination between the forces on ground and the state government is working together with the armed forces.
"I am in touch with the Army, the Navy and trying to make sure that the right stuff reaches the right place and we are able to achieve the stuff properly. We are not able to communicate with the people," he said.
He said the main source of worry for him was the likely spread of diseases after the water level in flood-hit areas recedes.
Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag on Wednesday said the forces would continue to work through "day and night" to render relief to the affected people in Kashmir.
He said the flood situation in Kashmir is "improving" and stressed upon the need to supply affected people with food, water and medicine.
In the state capital to oversee the massive rescue exercise launched by the Army, he expressed confidence that situation will improve "quite a lot" in two to three days.
"It (situation) is improving. Water level is receding. I was here three days back and from then to now the water level has come down four to five feet or six feet at some places. So things are improving," he told reporters.
Suhag, however, emphasised on the need to carry relief material to the rescued people.
"What is required is we need to supply food, water and medicine to people who need that," he said, adding that Army was taking full care of people under its watch and augmented its medical facilities to meet the challenge.
He said the road network within the valley would be motorable for lighter vehicles by tomorrow and the broken-down communication network be restored to a large extent in two to three days.
Army had rescued close to 50,000 people by this morning, he added.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) reiterated that the Army would continue relief operations till the last person was rescued, a defence spokesman said here.
The COAS was briefed that as many as 239 Army columns have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir along with 80 medical teams, he said, adding that a total of 58,000 persons have been rescued and 9,550 provided medical aid in Kashmir.
In Srinagar, the Armyhas deployed additional 89 boat teams, he said.
So far, more than 9,500 persons have been rescued from Srinagar and 2,000 have been provided shelter in Badamibagh Cantonment, he added.
As many as 355 persons requiring immediate medical attention have been evacuated by ArmyAviation helicopters till now, the spokesperson said.
Source:-
J&K floods: Army vehicles pelted with stones in Srinagar; people's anger justified, Omar Abdullah says - The Times of India
Seems like people are not happy with over all response.
Omar also dismissed criticism of his government in the handling of the flood crisis, saying joint efforts involving various agencies including his administration are being made to help people tide over the crisis.
Over 200 people have been killed in floods, landslides and house collapses triggered by torrential rains. Four lakh people still remain stranded. Omar on Tuesday described the floods that has devastated the state as the worst in 109 years.
Asked about the criticism of the state government over the handling of the situation, Omar said if there was heckling, "People are alive to shout slogans, I have no problems."
"It means that these people have been rescued, they have been accommodated somewhere. Where they have been accommodated is not my concern," he said.
"I understand the anger(of people). I don't grudge them. They have gone through difficult times."
Congress leader Saifuddin Soz was heckled in one of the relief camps.
In another incident, Army vehicles loaded with supplies were pelted with stones as they tried to make their way through Srinagar.
Omar said the situation was unprecedented. "The focus is entirely on making available all assets. such situations are handled through joint efforts... It is a very serious humanitarian situation in terms of rescue and relief of the people.
"... It is an unprecedented situation. In nobody's life time, we remember water to be at this level. It is something nobody could have prepared for. The efforts of the central government, army, air force and state government and operations have been ramped up. Supplies are arriving and we are doing our best to rescue people," he said.
The chief minister said there was no "weakness" in coordination between the forces on ground and the state government is working together with the armed forces.
"I am in touch with the Army, the Navy and trying to make sure that the right stuff reaches the right place and we are able to achieve the stuff properly. We are not able to communicate with the people," he said.
He said the main source of worry for him was the likely spread of diseases after the water level in flood-hit areas recedes.
Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag on Wednesday said the forces would continue to work through "day and night" to render relief to the affected people in Kashmir.
He said the flood situation in Kashmir is "improving" and stressed upon the need to supply affected people with food, water and medicine.
In the state capital to oversee the massive rescue exercise launched by the Army, he expressed confidence that situation will improve "quite a lot" in two to three days.
"It (situation) is improving. Water level is receding. I was here three days back and from then to now the water level has come down four to five feet or six feet at some places. So things are improving," he told reporters.
Suhag, however, emphasised on the need to carry relief material to the rescued people.
"What is required is we need to supply food, water and medicine to people who need that," he said, adding that Army was taking full care of people under its watch and augmented its medical facilities to meet the challenge.
He said the road network within the valley would be motorable for lighter vehicles by tomorrow and the broken-down communication network be restored to a large extent in two to three days.
Army had rescued close to 50,000 people by this morning, he added.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) reiterated that the Army would continue relief operations till the last person was rescued, a defence spokesman said here.
The COAS was briefed that as many as 239 Army columns have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir along with 80 medical teams, he said, adding that a total of 58,000 persons have been rescued and 9,550 provided medical aid in Kashmir.
In Srinagar, the Armyhas deployed additional 89 boat teams, he said.
So far, more than 9,500 persons have been rescued from Srinagar and 2,000 have been provided shelter in Badamibagh Cantonment, he added.
As many as 355 persons requiring immediate medical attention have been evacuated by ArmyAviation helicopters till now, the spokesperson said.
Source:-
J&K floods: Army vehicles pelted with stones in Srinagar; people's anger justified, Omar Abdullah says - The Times of India
Seems like people are not happy with over all response.
