Centre likely to announce special compensation for cloudburst victims

JAMMU, Aug 19: The Central Government is likely to announce special compensation for cloudburst victims of Chashoti in Kishtwar and Rajbagh and Bagra villages in Kathua district after completion of rescue operations and undertaking an assessment of the situation.

“The compensation is expected to cover all victims including next of kin of dead, injured (both serious and minor) and damaged houses, shops and other structures in the flash floods at Chashoti on August 14 and two villages in Kathua on August 17,” sources told the Excelsior.

As of now, 63 persons have been confirmed dead in Chashoti cloudburst while many others are still missing. A number of houses, shops and other structures have suffered extensive damages. In Kathua villages, seven persons, five of them children, lost their lives while houses were damaged.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has already announced that he will ensure reconstruction of houses damaged in Chashoti flash floods.

Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh too has assured adequate compensation for the victims and damages suffered by the people.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced relief for kin of dead, injured and damaged structures from CM’s Relief Fund which will be in addition to the SDRF norms.

Sources, however, said the Central Government is waiting for completion of relief and rescue operations at Chashoti as multiple agencies working there are trying to find out more persons, dead or alive.

Rescuers admitted that with every passing time it seems difficult to recover any survivor, unless a miracle happens, but their efforts continued.

However, as far as, cloudburst in Kathua villages is concerned, there have been seven casualties and no one is missing.

“The Central Government compensation is expected to be comprehensive going by the damages caused by cloudburst followed by flashflood and number of dead, injured and missing persons at Chashoti. Also, the houses, shops and other structures have also suffered extensive damage,” the sources said.

However, they pointed out that before undertaking an assessment of the situation or securing a report from the UT administration on damages and casualties, the Central Government would like rescue and relief operations to be completed at Chashoti which will give clear picture of confirmed dead, injured and missing persons besides number of houses, shops and other structures damaged in cloudburst followed by flash flood.

“The police norms in case of missing persons being declared as dead even if his/her body is not recovered will be followed,” the sources said, adding there have been apprehensions that some bodies may have slipped into mighty Chenab where it could become difficult to locate them as has also been observed in past in certain cases.

It may be mentioned here that Army and paramilitary forces including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, NDRF, SDRF, civil administration, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and various other agencies besides local people have been engaged in round-the-clock operations to trace the missing persons and restore connectivity.