People evacuated from affected areas
The District Administration Rajouri has established special relief camps for the people evacuated from habitations along the Line of Control (LoC) following heavy cross-border shelling in the area.
Following heavy shelling and casualties, the District Administration immediately swung into action and Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary along with senior officers of Police, Health, Animal/Sheep Husbandry and various other essential services departments rushed to the forward areas of Nowshera to evacuate the affected people.
DC Rajouri said that heavy cross-border shelling was reported in Nowshera sub-division of district Rajouri from 7.30 am today which continued entire day. He said the worst affected villages include Sarya, Khamba, Bhawani, Kalsian, Mahanpur, Dhanaka, Ganya and Khori situated at 0-2 KM range from LoC. “Overall 26 villages in Nowshera and Qila Darhal Tehsils have been affected whiles 9 villages in Majakote Tehsil of district Rajouri also remained in the line of fire for around 3 hours,” he said.
Dr Shahid said two persons Tufail Hussain (51) S/O Abdul Sattar, and Asiya Bi (13) D/O Mohammad Aslam were killed in shelling while three others were injured. A critically injured lady, Zaitoon Begum W/O Haji Tufail Hussain, was shifted to Government Medical College, Jammu for treatment.
He said district administration Rajouri provided immediate relief and financial assistance to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured.
He said following evacuation of the people from the vulnerable areas, three relief camps have been made operational while 28 others have been notified to cope up with fresh migration from the affected villages in case of continued shelling. He said around 300 souls have so far been lodged in make-shift relief camps. “The district administration, in coordination with other departments, is providing proper accommodation, food, cooking facility, drinking water, sanitation, first aid and other basic amenities in the relief camps,” he said and added that around 120 officers and officials from various departments have been deployed to organize facilities at relief camps.
He said a Control Room has been established in office of SDM Nowshera for coordination of rescue and relief operation. He said Legislators Ravinder Raina and Surinder Choudhary were also camping in forward areas and coordinating with the people and local administration.
Dr Shahid said heavy shelling continuing during the day hampered the rescue and evacuation process as the road leading to Jhangar repeatedly came under heavy fire. “A fleet of 6 buses was inducted into Jhangar areas at 1600 Hrs for evacuation of affected people and shifting them to relief camps,” he said and added that six ambulances were pressed into action for shifting of injured. Besides, one mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed to forward areas, he said.
Dr Shahid said rescue team of district administration also came under impact of shelling ahead of Nonial which led to suspension of rescue operation for around 3 hours which was later resumed in afternoon.
During his visit to the affected areas Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, was accompanied by SP Atul, ACD Noor Alam, PO ICDS Sheikh Nazir, CMO Dr Suresh, SDM Nowshera Harbans, DPO Shafiq Ahmed, AD F&CS Javed Choudhary, CAHO, DSHO, ARTO, SDPO, ExEnS of PHE EM&RE, PWD and other senior officers while touring to affected areas.
KV Correspondent
