Unexploded shells in 11 out of 13 affected villages cleared

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Srinagar, Aug 23 (UNI) Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) and army experts have detected and defused all unexploded shells in 11 out of the 13 villages affected by the devastating fire and explosions which took place at the 21 Field Ordnance Depot at Khandroo in south Kashmir on August 11.

Two more affected villages--Sumran and Nowgam, would be cleared by Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was informed during a high-level meeting with a four-member central team here last evening.

The clearance of orchards, maize and paddy fields would be begin today, an official spokesman said.

He said a decision to despatch a team of officers from Revenue and Roads and Buildings (R&B) to start a survey of the houses would take place today to assess the quantum of damage to residential buildings and loss to the livestock.

The entire process would be videographed and the assessment would be completed by September 7.

Another team of officers from the Revenue, Agriculture and Horticulture departments would assess the damage suffered by crops and horticulture.

The assessment of damage would be sent to the central government for compensation.

The Chief Minister also asked officers to segregate the damaged houses as repairable and un-repairable so that owners of the repairable houses could be paid compensation to undertake reonstruction before the onset of the winter season.

He said arrangements for shelter and food for the families whose houses were fully damaged and could not be reconstructed before winter would have to be made.

Compensation for the repairable houses should start from September 15, for which advance money could be drawn from the Calamity Relief Fund as an immediate measure till the funds were released by the Centre, he said.

He also directed the divisional administration to arrange stocks of cement and timber for reconstruction of houses that have suffered minor damage.

UNI

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