ITBP donates Rs.1.75 crore for Ladakh flood victims

NEW DELHI - The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Saturday donated Rs.1.75 crore for rehabilitation of victims of the Aug 6 flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh region that killed at least 183 people.

At a function held here, the cheque for donation to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund was handed over to Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan by ITBP Director General (DG) Ranjit Kumar Bhatia.

“I am thankful to the DG and his entire family for this generous gesture. It was a tragedy of maximum proportions and the ITBP led from the front along with all the other paramilitary forces and the army,” said Chavan.

Jawans of the ITBP have donated part of their salary and this is an humble contribution towards rehabilitation and reconstruction related to the devastation, said Bhatia.

“Our first units were raised there almost 50 years ago. So, the ITBP has an emotional bonding with Ladakh,” Bhatia added.

As winter arrives early in Leh, new houses have to be constructed within the next two and a half months. “We are helping the locals in carrying out the relief work,” Bhatia said.

On Aug 6, flash floods triggered by a cloud burst devastated large parts of Ladakh’s biggest town Leh. At least 183 people were killed and 200 people are still missing.