'No major steps taken so far to assess quake damages in Jammu'

Four days after earthquake rocked the Jammu region, an Congress MLA today said that no major steps were taken by either the Central Government or the state to assess the damages.
"Four days have passed, yet no major steps have been taken by Centre as well state government in assessing the damages in the division," Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, who represents the Inderwal constituency of Kishtwar district, told reporters here.
The former minister, while addressing a public gathering at Nali and Binoon area of block Drabshallah of Kishtwar, said that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) should include the district in the priority list for extending all facilities.

"NDMA should include district Kishtwar in the priority list for extending all facilities, besides government should immediately provide 8,000 tents for those whose houses have been totally damaged," Saroori said.
The Congress leaader said that as per reports about 30 to 40 houses in every Panchayat block of erstwhile Doda district have developed cracks, besides several government buildings have been totally damaged due to the recent calamity.
Two persons were killed and 69, including 32 students, were injured and scores of buildings damaged when an earthquake of moderate intensity shook parts of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.
The twin districts of Kishtwar and Doda in Jammu region were the hardest hit where nearly 400 structures, including schools, hospitals and houses, developed cracks.