By: Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the government will assess the losses suffered by people affected by the recent rains and provide relief as per the prescribed norms. He further said an inquiry into the widespread waterlogging in Srinagar, assuring that Smart City works will undergo a third-party audit.
Replying to questions during a press conference here, Abdullah said the administration would begin assessing losses once the weather improves and provide compensation to affected families in accordance with the existing guidelines.
“As far as compensation is concerned, the losses suffered by people will be assessed, and relief will be provided as per the prescribed guidelines,” he said.
The Chief Minister said an inquiry would be conducted after the weather improves to identify shortcomings and determine the corrective measures required to prevent such incidents in future. “Let the weather improve. We will conduct an inquiry and decide what corrective action needs to be taken,” he said.
Expressing regret over the situation, Omar described the flooding of the Civil Secretariat as “a matter of shame”, saying it was unacceptable that even the ground floor of the Secretariat was inundated.
“It is a matter of shame for us that even the ground floor of the Civil Secretariat was under water. This is not a normal situation,” he said.
The CM said the government was using all available resources to improve Srinagar’s drainage system, but the problem had accumulated over decades and could not be resolved overnight.
“This is such an old problem. Those before us neither resolved it nor seriously attempted to. It cannot be fixed overnight,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the previous administration over the Smart City project, Abdullah said those responsible for planning and implementing the project should explain how the funds were utilised.
“Those who brought the Smart City project here, implemented it and left the remaining work for us to complete should be asked where the Smart City money went, apart from the footpaths built along the Jhelum,” he said.
He said the Cabinet had already decided to order a third-party audit after finding a gap between the Smart City project’s stated objectives and its actual outcomes. The order is yet to be implemented, but it will be taken forward, he said.
The Chief Minister said the government would continue using all available resources to improve the city’s drainage network while addressing long-pending deficiencies in urban infrastructure.
