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| All three wings of Armed Forces involved in rescue operations across Valley | | Entire Kashmir goes ex communico; communication system being airlifted | |  Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 8: The Indian Armed Forces have put to use some of the best military skill-sets in the ongoing massive rescue and relief operation in the flood affected area of Jammu & Kashmir.
Deployed for the first time in the ongoing devastating flood situation in J&K, the Naval Marine Commandos rescued around 200 personnel at Haigaon on Srinagar - Sopore highway. Rescue efforts are now continuing near Pantha Chowk, Srinagar. Additionally, Naval Diving Teams are also positioned on standby at New Delhi, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam for the rescue efforts.
To restore the communication system in the Valley, Army has airlifted its communication equipment. BSNL loads are also being airlifted from Bangalore and Jammu.
So far 23,530 stranded people have been evacuated by the Army in different regions of J&K. Army has deployed 215 columns of its personnel for rescue and relief operations. They have distributed 5,000 blankets and 140 tents. The Army also distributed 23,000 litres of water and 600 kilograms of biscuit in the flood-affected areas. Additional water bottles are being airlifted from Chandigarh and Delhi. In an endeavor to provide speedy medical aid to the affected populace, 80 medical teams of the Armed Forces Medical Services have also swung into action.
Eighty-five metric tonnes of medicines were airlifted for the flood victims. 16 relief camps have been set up in different parts of the State. 1245 people have been airlifted by the Indian Air Force helicopters and transport aircraft. So far 140 sorties were undertaken by the helicopters and aircraft of Indian Air Force and 155 tonnes of relief materials are dropped by the Indian Air Force. Altogether 52 aircrafts and helicopters have been pressed into action.
57 Army bauts and 118 NDRF's inflatable boats are actively involved in the rescue operation. 30 more inflatable boats are being airlifted from Arakonam, Tamil Nadu.
Eight engineering task force teams along with boats and other life saving equipment have already reached the flood affected areas to supplement the rescue operation. The situation is being continuously monitored and progress of the events are updated at the office of the HQ IDS in New Delhi.
Army and air force troops worked through the night with the navy joining efforts in the morning to rescue people stranded across the state as homes, military bases and hospitals in Srinagar were inundated after the Jhelum river broke its banks.
Close to 22,000 people have been rescued, including 1,400 Army personnel and their families caught in floodwaters at Srinagar's Badami Bagh cantonment.
"The Indian Army will not move back to the barracks till the last man is brought to safety," said General Dalbir Singh, chief of the Army staff.
Meanwhile, Government tonight said 90 towers of 3G Telecom service have started functioning in Kashmir valley while 10 VSAT systems are being air lifted to restore critical communication towers.
"3G towers numbering 90 have started working. 10 VSAT systems are being air lifted to restore critical telecom towers. Satellite link from Bardula has been provided," an official spokesperson said after a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth.
However, restoration of road communication to the Valley, ravaged by floods, will take five to seven days. The Centre has directed free flow of transport via Manali and Leh to Srinagar, the only available surface network, a top central government official said here today. As an emergency coverage of logistics, petroleum products, food stock and medicines will move from Leh to Srinagar.
Similar quantities of food, petroleum products and medicines will also be moved from northern India via Manali-Rohtang Pass-Leh-Srinagar to replenish the stocks. The Home Ministry is also airlifting thousands of bottles of drinking water and blankets to Jammu and Kashmir to be distributed among the flood-affected people as there is shortage of potable water and woollens. "As nights are getting colder in the Valley, we are urgently arranging blankets and airlifting them to Srinagar.
There is crisis of drinking water too. So, we are sending thousands of bottled water beginning today for next four-five days," the official said. Packets of biscuits and ready to eat food have been rushed in last night with further supplies carried to the Valley for distribution. Railways is also transporting rake load of bottled water and sachet water to Jammu. The three highways connecting Kashmir with Jammu have been badly hit and the Border Roads Organisation has assessed the damage and conveyed that it will take at least five to seven days for their restoration, the official said. Facing problems of connecting even top state government officials, the Centre has dispatched 15 high frequency wireless sets to Srinagar today and is expecting that the wireless service will be restored by tonight. |
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