Kashmir secretariat resumes functioning after 16 days

The flood-inundated Jammu and Kashmir secretariat, which houses offices of the chief minister, his ministerial colleagues and all the top bureaucrats, Monday resumed functioning after 16 days.

The civil secretariat, the state legislature complex and the high court complex were inundated Sep 7 causing damage to the records kept in these institutions.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday morning visited all these sites to ascertain the latest situation. He directed the departments concerned to further intensify their efforts so that these institutions begin functioning normally as soon as possible.

He, along with various ministers and senior officials, reviewed the relief and rehabilitation work in a meeting he chaired in the secretariat.

Abdullah directed gearing up men and machinery at all levels to reach out to the affected people in all flood-hit areas. He said more attention should be paid to dewatering of water- logged areas particularly in Srinagar city.