PM Narendra Modi chairs emergency meeting to review situation in Kashmir floods

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired a high-level emergency meeting to review the relief operations in Jammu and Kashmir, has directed the Union Home Ministry to send teams of central officials to coordinate and comprehensively ramp up relief operations in Srinagar.

Prime Minister Modi, who took stock of the situation yesterday night, was briefed on the status of operations, especially in Srinagar town and the Kashmir Valley. "In view of the huge magnitude of the calamity, the Central Government needs to provide full support to the state administration to comprehensively ramp-up the rescue and relief operations," he said.

During the meeting, special emphasis was laid on providing basic necessities like food and water to the people severely affected by the calamity. Prime Minister Modi directed that top priority should be given to providing essential commodities to the affected people in Srinagar. He also emphasized on the need for a massive effort to ensure basic hygiene and sanitation in the water-logged areas of Srinagar.

Prime Minister Modi was also informed that the process of restoration of telecommunication links has begun, with about 8000 landlines being activated in Srinagar. Mobile services have also been partially restored through the service provider Aircel. 

Over 76,000 people have been rescued so far by the Armed Forces and NDRF. Arrangements are being made for provision of food, water and essential medicines.