Victims accommodated in make-shift camp; Cash, essential commodities distributed
By News Agency of Kashmir
Margi (Kishtwar)/Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir government in assistance with Indian Air Force has started relief and rescue operation on war footing in Wadwan area of Marwah tehsil in Kishtwar district, about 270 kilometers from here, after a mysterious fire engulfed an Margi village injuring over three dozen villagers.
Official sources said that under the supervision of ADC Jammu Abdul Majid and IAF officers an MI-17 chopper carried seven sorties from Jammu to Margi carrying essential commodities including medicines.
Sources told News Agency of Kashmir that finance minister Tariq Hamid Qarra, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Congress MP Lal Singh and education minister Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed and some senior government besides army officers have also flown to the area this morning to monitor the relief and rescue operation.
However, sources said, official were facing some difficulties in providing immediate relief to the victims. “The nearest helipad is situated about five kilometers away from the village”, a senior government officer said adding, “The hilly terrain was making it difficult to carry the relief items to the village”.
Sources said that the village was situated on a slope of a hill and the houses largely comprised of wooden structures that caused widespread damage razing entire structures to the ground.
The local administration has pressed police, army personnel and engaged some locals to carry the items from helipad to the village, he added.
The victims have been accommodated in makeshift camp started by the distraction soon after the incident.
Earlier, yesterday an MI-17 chopper had been flown from Jammu to the Margi village which picked up some officials of the Doda district administration from Kishtwar before reaching the affected village.
Reports reaching NAK revealed that around three dozen villagers sustained minor burn injuries in the fire incident, adding that none was in serious condition.
The state government sent a medical team, comprising 4 male and 2 female doctors beside nursing staff, to the village which provided medicare to the victims.
Red Cross, police and Doda district administration besides zonal administration too have swung into action dispatching teams and relief material today.
The MI-17 chopper in seven sorties has also flown 900 readymade food packets, 56 tents, 160 blankets, 1300 pairs of woolen clothes and 250 sleeping bags to the village, which has been reduced into ashes, ADC Jammu Abdul Majid told News Agency of Kashmir.
Apart from this, he said, Doda district administration has also dispatched via road 400 blankets, 300 pairs of woolen clothes and 250 packets of biscuits for the affected villagers, who have been forced to live under open skies in the chilling winter.
Some government engineers, which were also flown to the village, have given rough estimate of Rs 5 crore to rebuilt the village, sources said adding, because of the winter season the government would have to be make an alternate arrangement as the construction work could not be completed in one month.
Number of political leaders and legislators visited the spot and announced financial help for the needy. District administration has distributed a case assistance of Rs 10 lakh among the victims so far.
Beside this Member Parliament Choudhary Lal Singh has assured grant of Rs 33 lakh out of his constituency development fund. President PDP Mahbooba Mufti and Tariq Hameed Qarra, finance minister, announced Rs 1 lakh out of the party fund and Rs 2 lakh was donated by the Party’s Kishtwar unit, sources added.
Soon after the reports of the fire incident, regular announcements were made from Masjids and Temples of the town urging the people to come forward with the woolen cloths and blankets as donation.
Number of NGOs and local trusts collected hundreds of blankets, wollens cloths and food items and dispatched the same to the affected village through the local administration.