Home min despatches 70 boats, 5 NDRF teams to J-K

Seventy boats and five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been sent to Jammu and Kashmir for the rescue and relief of flood-affected people.

The decision was taken by Home Minister Rajnath Singh today after reviewing the flood situation in the state.

Singh ordered that the boats be despatched today itself for use in rescue operations, a Home Ministry official said.

Control rooms are being set up at Srinagar, Jammu and New Delhi to monitor and coordinate the rescue and relief operations.

The telephone numbers of the control rooms are: New Delhi Jammu and Kashmir House [phone] and 24611108; Srinagar 0194-2452138; and Jammu 0191-2560401.

Anybody seeking assistance pertaining to the flood crisis in J-K may also approach Home Ministry's control room in New Delhi, the telephone numbers for which are: [phone], 23092763, 23093564, 23092923, 23092885, 23093566, 23093563.

The Home Minister also instructed that five teams of NDRF be sent immediately to the flood-affected areas of the state.

Singh has also appealed to all social organisations and NGOs to mobilise their resources to bolster the rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, NDRF Director General OP Singh told reporters that a total of 17 teams, each comprising about 50 personnel, have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for relief operations.

"We have provided all our teams with satellite phones. Over 3,000 people have been evacuated till now and we are sending more boats," said Singh.

He said that NDRF personnel are making special efforts to evacuate marooned people from Pachori village in Kashmir Valley.

"Twelve rescue teams are deployed at various places in Pulwama, like Kulgam, Kakapura, Pullu, Lallar, Rishipura, Begambag, Awantipur and Srinagar in Kashmir and Satwari and Sandwa in Jammu.

"A total of 108 rescue boats have been pressed into rescue and relief operations," NDRF said in a statement.