Detailed report sought on Leh cloudburst: Chidambaram
By IANSMonday, August 16, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Jammu and Kashmir government has been asked for a detailed report on the Aug 6 cloudburst in Leh that has claimed at least 183 lives so that the “centre can finalise aid for relief and rehabilitation operations,” parliament was informed Monday.
In a statement tabled in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the thrust of the government’s efforts will be on the rehabilitation of the victims. He assured the house that the “government will provide all possible help” to the victims of the cloudburst, which triggered flash floods and mudslides that flattened large parts of Leh.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Leh Tuesday to assess the ground situation. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju visited the area Monday.
Chidambaram said the situation in Leh was being “reviewed continuously and the ministry of home is coordinating with all ministries, departments and agencies concerned for convergence of rescue and relief operations”.
Besides the deaths and injuries to several people, there has been extensive damage to property and utilities like the telephone exchange, the civil hospital, the airport, drinking water supply works and national highways connecting Leh.
The state government had at its disposal Rs.430 crore in its Disaster Relief Fund, Chidambaram said.
Heavy rains and a cloudburst between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Aug 6 triggered flash floods in Leh Town and surrounding areas of Choglamsar, Pathar Sahib, Phyang, Hanoyogma and Nimu. The casualties were high as the floods occurred during the night, Chidambaram said.
About 6,000 personnel of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Border Roads Organisation, National Disaster Relief Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police were assisting the civil administration in relief operations, the home minister said.
Large quantities of tents, clothing, food packets and bottled water have been sent. Contributions from the charitable organizations and other sources have also been airlifted, he added.
Fifty civil aircraft were deployed for a week since Aug 8 to evacuate about 7,400 people stranded in Leh to Delhi and Jammu. These aircraft also carried free of cost more than 25 tonnes of relief material to Leh, Chidambaram said.
The Indian Air Force evacuated 789 people and airlifted 270 tonnes of relief material, he added.
