Landslide-hit Punjar to be developed as smart village

Love Care Foundation, a New Delhi-based NGO, and volunteers of Concentrix India will adopt Punjar village in Udhampur and develop it as a "smart hamlet" in a bid to rehabilitate the landslide affected people.
The two organisations have decided to adopt Saddal-Panjar village in Udhampur district. The aim is to rehabilitate the victims of landslide, according to Love Care Foundation national director Sanjay Dadroo and associate director of H R Concentrix India Raj Nehru.
Dadroo said, "The team will dedicate its resources and support groups to develop this concept of smart village and make Panjar as an example of the first smart village in the country."

"On priority basis, we will construct temporary sheds for 75 families of Saddal who were affected by landslide to protect them from rain and approaching winter," Nehru said, adding that the plan has been discussed by them with both Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Deputy Commissioner (DC) and other officers of Udhampur.
Panjar village has 550 families, of which 121 have become the victims of nature's devastation and there is a lot of desperation among the survivors, said Dadroo. "Their first priority is survival from chilly winter and we have decided to construct the sheds at first place for them," he added.

Part of Saddal-Panjal village was flattened by a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains, in which 41 people were buried on September 7. Fourteen bodies have so far been recovered.
The two organisations have been engaged in massive relief operation in Jammu and Kashmir, in which they have distributed 15,000 kg of ration, 3,500 blankets and other commodities to the flood-hit people.