120 officers deployed on duty at relief camps, Control Room established
at Nowshera: DC Rajouri
RAJOURI, MAY 13: The District Administration
Rajouri has established special relief camps for the people evacuated from
habitations along the Line of Control (LoC) following heavy cross-border
shelling in the area.
Following heavy shelling and casualties, the District Administration
immediately swung into action and Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal
Choudhary along with senior officers of Police, Health, Animal/Sheep Husbandry
and various other essential services departments rushed to the forward areas of
Nowshera to evacuate the affected people.
DC Rajouri said that heavy cross-border shelling was reported in
Nowshera sub-division of district Rajouri from 7.30 am today
which continued entire day. He said the worst affected villages include Sarya, Khamba,
Bhawani, Kalsian, Mahanpur, Dhanaka, Ganya and Khori situated at 0-2 KM range
from LoC. “Overall 26 villages in Nowshera and Qila Darhal Tehsils have been
affected whiles 9 villages in Majakote Tehsil of district Rajouri also remained
in the line of fire for around 3 hours,” he said.
Dr Shahid said two persons Tufail Hussain (51) S/O Abdul Sattar, and
Asiya Bi (13) D/O Mohammad Aslam were killed in shelling while three others
were injured. A critically injured lady, Zaitoon Begum W/O Haji Tufail Hussain,
was shifted to Government Medical College, Jammu for treatment.
He said district administration Rajouri provided immediate relief and
financial assistance to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured.
He said following evacuation of the people from the vulnerable areas,
three relief camps have been made operational while 28 others have been
notified to cope up with fresh migration from the affected villages in case of
continued shelling. He said around 300 souls have so far been lodged in make-shift
relief camps. “The district administration, in coordination with other departments, is
providing proper accommodation, food, cooking facility, drinking water,
sanitation, first aid and other basic amenities in the relief camps,” he said
and added that around 120 officers and officials from various departments have
been deployed to organize facilities at relief camps.
He said a Control Room has been established in office of SDM Nowshera
for coordination of rescue and relief operation. He said Legislators Ravinder
Raina and Surinder Choudhary were also camping in forward areas and
coordinating with the people and local administration.
Dr Shahid said heavy shelling continuing during the day hampered the
rescue and evacuation process as the road leading to Jhangar repeatedly came
under heavy fire. “A fleet of 6 buses was inducted into Jhangar areas at 1600 Hrs for
evacuation of affected people and shifting them to relief camps,” he said
and added that six ambulances were pressed into action for shifting of injured.
Besides, one mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed
to forward areas, he said.
Dr Shahid said rescue team of district administration also came under
impact of shelling ahead of Nonial which led to suspension of rescue operation
for around 3 hours which was later resumed in afternoon.
During his visit to the affected areas Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, was
accompanied by SP Atul, ACD Noor Alam, PO ICDS Sheikh Nazir, CMO Dr Suresh, SDM
Nowshera Harbans, DPO Shafiq Ahmed, AD F&CS Javed Choudhary, CAHO, DSHO,
ARTO, SDPO, ExEnS of PHE EM&RE, PWD and other senior officers while touring
to affected areas.
