Jammu, July 21: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said he has reviewed the damage caused by heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, and directed all concerned departments to intensify rescue, relief, and restoration efforts.
In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said he spoke with senior officials as well as the Deputy Commissioners of Rajouri and Poonch to assess the extent of damage to residential houses and critical public infrastructure.
He said the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu, are on the ground monitoring the situation. Sinha added that he has instructed all departments to work round the clock in close coordination to ensure speedy restoration of essential services and provide timely assistance to affected residents.
The Lieutenant Governor said the administration’s immediate priorities include reopening key roads and restoring electricity and drinking water supplies. He informed that out of 435 roads damaged due to the inclement weather, 356 have already been restored.
Appealing to the public to remain cautious, Sinha urged citizens to avoid non-essential travel in vulnerable areas and strictly follow safety advisories issued by the local district administration.
He said personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Civil Defence are working in coordination, while Quick Response Teams have been deployed in vulnerable locations to deal with emergencies.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the natural calamity, the Lieutenant Governor said he was deeply anguished by the tragedy. He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
