NDMA team to reach Ladakh on February 8

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 4

An expert committee, constituted by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), will reach Ladakh on February 8 to evolve an action plan for dealing with the situation arising out of the blockage of the Phuktal river in the Zanskar area of Kargil district.

This was decided at a meeting held by the NDMA yesterday.

The decision was taken after the intervention of Governor NN Vohra, who had urged the NDMA to constitute a multidisciplinary expert group to evolve an action plan for dealing with the Phuktal blockage.

The expert group will also visit the river blockage site.

The expert committee comprises VD Roy, Director, Central Water Commission (team leader), OP Gupta, Director, Central Water Commission, BD Patni, Director, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, BM Gairola, Director, Geological Survey of India, Maheshwar Singh, Officer Surveyor, Survey of India, RK Varma, Scientist-F, Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment, RK Dhiman, Superintending Engineer, Headquarters, Vijayak, Major Abhishek Kumar, 70 Engineering Regiment, Rajesh Kumar Basotra, Sub-District Magistrate, Zanskar, and a Medical Officer to be nominated by the state government.

The Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, will be the Nodal Officer for conducting and liasioning with the committee which will work out the modalities for mitigating the situation.

The district administration of Leh and Kargil have taken various preventive measures, including stopping movement of people on the Chadder trek between Chilling and Padum in the Ladakh region and cautioning people residing in the adjoining areas.

A Raj Bhawan spokesperson said following the directions of the Governor, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, had made arrangements for airlifting persons who had been stranded due to ban on movement of people on the Chadder route.

The authorities of Leh and Kargil districts are working on detailed communication, rehabilitation and rescue plans.

Zanskar students protest admn failure

Students from Zanskar today held a protest against the alleged administrative delay in finding a solution to blockage of the Phuktal river in the Zanskar area of Kargil district.

Scores of students under the banner of the All Zanskar Students Association assembled outside Exhibition Ground here and raised slogans against the administration for its alleged failure in finding a solution to the threat posed by a 14-km-long artificial lake formed by a massive landslide in the Phuktal.

Students, led by the president of the association, Tundup Wangyal, said the authorities at the district, state and Central levels had held several meetings but had failed to find a concrete solution to the problem.

“Nothing has been done so far. Whether it is the expert team or the authorities concerned, they have just flown over the particular area. We will not tolerate such kind of negligence and indifference,” a protesting student alleged.

The protesters said it was a serious matter and if immediate measures were not initiated, it would create disaster in the area.

“We are worried about our families and villages. A dangerous situation has emerged in the area. We want immediate and positive action to save our villages and families from the looming danger,” the protesting students said.