'Standing crop spread over 100 hectares damaged in hailstorm in J-K's Rajouri'

The Jammu and Kashmir government today said that standing crops spread over 100 hectares and over a dozen orchards were damaged by heavy rains and hailstorm which hit the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district last evening, officials said.

However, all the members of the trapped Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes escaped unhurt and were subsequently rescued in a night-long operation undertaken by the district administration, they said.

Over 110 animals belonging to nomadic families were killed in heavy rains and hailstorm yesterday.

The officials said an assistance of Rs 3.50 lakh was provided with Rs 35,000 each to the affected nomadic families in the wake of loss of livestock to hailstorm and cloudburst.

Another amount of Rs 4 Lakh was sanctioned for compensation of livestock killed, the officials said.

Quoting preliminary reports by various teams deputed for assessment of losses to private property in various sectors, including agriculture, horticulture and fisheries as well as public infrastructure, the officials said standing crops spread over 100 hectares and a dozen orchards suffered extensive damages in the natural calamity.

They said roads and water supply lines as well as power lines were snapped and restoration work has been fast-tracked by concerned departments.

Senior leader of ruling PDP and MLA Qamar Choudhary today visited the affected areas and assured all possible help to the people.

District Development Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said apart from assistance and compensation provided to the nomadic families for loss of livestock, the district administration would provide compensation to farmers and owners of private properties as per assessment report.

He appreciated the active role played by local people in rescue and relief operation.