Relief HQ in Uri shifts to minister’s house

Additional Deputy Commissioner Aijaz Kakroo was sidelined after he expressed displeasure over Mohideen’s interference. The focus of the relief operation has already shifted to Mohideen’s areas of influence. The area ahead of Julu up to Kaman Post—which is still inaccessible—is being ignored. The entire establishment has now focussed on Kamalkote.

‘‘He (Mohideen) had been calling us several times every day to send relief material first to these villages. He even sent his partymen to accompany our officers to take the relief material,’’ an official said. ‘‘This led to the rift between him (minister) and Kakroo sahib. They even had an argument just a day before Kakroo sahib was taken off from the relief work.’’

Kakroo was the first civil officer to reach the quake-ravaged town. And he had been camping there to oversee the rescue and relief operations.

‘‘It was a tough task and to avoid any favouritism, we authorised the camp officers in various villages to distribute the tents in consultation with village heads,’’ says Sub Divisional Magistrate Uri Bashir Ahmed Khan.

Kakroo had divided the entire quake-hit region into two major zones and asked his staff to give priority to the worst-hit villages. In the worst-hit category, Category A, he had put 65 villages and 30 villages were put in Category B.

SDM Khan said they had also dispatched 25 teams of government officials to tour the quake-hit area to assess the damages.

Mufti seeks PM’s help to restore phone links

Srinagar: Jammu and kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Monday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to help restore telephone links between the state and parts occupied by Pakistan to address the anxiety of families divided by October 8 earthquake in the region. Sayeed, who spoke to Singh over the phone, impressed upon the Prime Minister to pursue with Pakistan the need to take up joint relief operations for the quake victims, an official spokesman said. ‘‘There is an immediate need to restore telephone links between Jammu and Kashmir to Muzaffarabad and Pakistan, so that anxious families on both sides could contact each other and get to know the welfare of their relatives,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the J-K Council of Ministers have decided to contribute their one month’s salary towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund meant to help the survivors. They have also asked all the MLAs and MLCs to make their contribution to the CM’s Relief Fund, officials said on Monday. —PTI