BRO clears landslides at cloudburst-hit Chishoti village in Kishtwar

The work on clearing massive debris of the cloudburst on the 14 kms treacherous terrain of the Chashoti village in Kishtwar was on Tuesday completed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

The village had remained isolated after the roads were washed away and massive landslides blocked its approach after the cloudburst on 14 August.

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Bodies of at least 67 pilgrims, including men, women and children, have so far been recovered from the debris and around 40 are still feared buried under the boulders.

The 118 RCC of the Project Sampark (BRO), who had first served as rescuers, battled relentlessly to clear the 14 kms of treacherous terrain.

“Today, their mission is complete. The road is open, and a vital lifeline of hope and supplies is restored”, said a defence spokesman.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo held a detailed meeting with the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) that arrived in the Union Territory to assess the damages caused by the recent floods. The deluge affected several districts, damaging homes, infrastructure, standing crops and horticultural produce.

While no casualties were reported in the Kashmir Valley, the mountainous districts were deeply affected by flash floods, leading to the loss of human lives and extensive damage to public assets. The agriculture and horticulture sectors have also suffered heavy losses, with vast stretches of paddy fields and apple orchards bearing the brunt.

During the meeting, the chief secretary made a strong pitch for immediate central assistance to restore vital infrastructure such as power supply lines, water supply schemes, schools, roads, bridges and other public utilities. He underscored the need for a comprehensive safety audit of critical public infrastructure, particularly schools, healthcare facilities, bridges and roads, to ensure their resilience for their utility for continuous public use.

The chief secretary sought special relief for the farmers whose crops or agricultural lands were damaged due to the floods. He proposed that the Central government bear the farmers’ share of premium too under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) so that the affected growers can avail insurance cover for their crop losses.

Highlighting the issue of connectivity, he pressed for immediate directives to central road agencies to undertake swift restoration of damaged roads and support new connectivity projects in flood-hit districts that remain cut off.

The IMCT has already visited several worst-affected areas of Jammu region, which has borne the maximum brunt of the recent floods and landslides. Over the past month, inclement weather has left J&K reeling, with around 150 people losing their lives and key roads, including the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, frequently blocked, thereby affecting the movement of traffic on these roads here.