EC Altaf Hussain, DC Rakesh assess flash flood damage in Kargil’s Badgam Village

KARGIL: The Kargil administration on Thursday initiated steps towards long-term flood mitigation and immediate relief for residents of flash flood-affected Badgam village in Karkit, as Executive Councillor Altaf Hussain and Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar (IAS) visited the area to assess the damage and interact with affected families.

During a meeting at the Panchayat Ghar in Badgam, the officials reviewed the impact of the recent flash floods and discussed relief, rehabilitation and future measures with local residents. Officers from the Revenue, Irrigation and Flood Control, Public Works (R&B), Mechanical Engineering, Rural Development and other departments also participated in the visit.

Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar said the administration’s priority is to develop a permanent solution to reduce the risk of future flash floods. He proposed the construction of a scientifically planned flood channel and sought inputs from villagers regarding the historical course of drainage channels to facilitate technical planning.

He directed the Irrigation and Flood Control, Revenue, R&B and Mechanical Engineering departments to jointly conduct a field survey in consultation with residents, prepare a feasible alignment plan for the proposed flood channel and submit a detailed report at the earliest.

Residents demanded suitable land within Revenue Village Karkit for the future rehabilitation of vulnerable families, immediate compensation for flood-related losses, restoration of drinking water through a submersible pump, removal of debris and boulders from river outlets and drainage channels, desilting of irrigation canals and early repair of damaged irrigation kuls to protect standing crops.

Responding to the demands, the Deputy Commissioner assured residents that compensation for eligible losses would be processed under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines. He also instructed the Block Development Officer and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to expedite the restoration of irrigation canals and damaged infrastructure.

Executive Councillor Altaf Hussain appreciated the Deputy Commissioner’s on-site visit and thanked the officers of the concerned departments for their prompt response and commitment towards addressing the concerns of the affected residents.