Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the loss of lives in a landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), he announced an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh for the families of the deceased who were residents of Uttar Pradesh. He also instructed officials to make necessary arrangements for transporting the bodies of the victims to their native places.
The landslide occurred on Tuesday near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari Cave Temple, on the route to the Vaishno Devi shrine, claiming 30 lives.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha convened a high-level meeting to review rescue and relief efforts, as well as preparedness in the wake of the landslide and the flood situation in several districts.
Sinha directed officials to ensure the safe evacuation of people from low-lying flood-affected areas and to maintain essential services such as electricity, healthcare, drinking water, rations, and communication facilities. He stressed that disrupted services must be restored on priority and that disaster-hit regions should be adequately stocked with medicines and other essentials.
The Lieutenant Governor also instructed authorities to immediately restore damaged roads and bridges on National Highways, arrange alternate traffic routes, and prepare hospitals to handle a potential rise in waterborne disease cases.
He further asked the Power Development Department (PDD) to coordinate with NHPC Limited and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for speedy restoration of power infrastructure, while urging the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to assist the PWD in repairing both UT and National Highway roads.
