Deputy CM visits cloudburst-hit villages in Kathua
Assures people of full govt support
Jammu: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary visited cloudburst and landslide-hit villages in Kathua district on Monday and assured the victims of full government support for their relief and rehabilitation.
Seven members of four families, including five children, were killed and 15 were injured in two separate incidents of cloudburst and landslide in Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Bagra village of Janglote in the early hours of Sunday.
Accompanied by the National Conference’s Jammu unit president Rattan Lal Gupta, the deputy chief minister took stock of the situation and interacted with families currently housed in relief camps.
Choudhary issued necessary directives to district officials to ensure timely assistance to the affected families and reiterated the Omar Abdullah-led government’s commitment to ensuring proper rehabilitation and long-term support for those impacted by the natural disaster.
The deputy chief minister also visited the Government Medical College (GMC), Kathua, to meet the seven injured persons. He directed the hospital authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the injured, a party spokesperson said.
Choudhary later visited the Military Hospital in Punjab’s Pathankot, where other injured persons have been admitted.
Meanwhile, the authorities in Kathua district have halted the recharge of the main canal of the Ravi river in view of damage caused due to the flooding triggered by a cloudburst at Jodh Ghatti.
“The unprecedented rainfall caused severe structural issues to the canal, making waterflow and recharge operations unsafe and technically unviable at this time,” a spokesperson said.
He said technical teams have assessed the situation and confirmed that significant repair and restoration work is required before any recharge can be attempted.
“The safety of nearby communities and the integrity of the infrastructure remain the top priority of the administration,” the spokesperson said, requesting patience and cooperation from the public.
