Jammu: J&K government on Sunday declared the spell of heavy rainfall and snowfall on October 23 and 24, 2021 as “State specific calamity.”
The declaration has been made under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2015 for the purpose of providing relief to the affected families.
Three worst affected districts of Kashmir and six districts of Jammu division would be covered under this declaration for spells of heavy rainfall and snowfall.
These districts included Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian of Kashmir division and Jammu, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Reasi, Samba and Kathua of Jammu division.
Unseasonal hailstorms and snowfall had caused extensive damage to standing crops, fruits and vegetables in both the regions.
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the declaration of the spell of heavy rainfall/heavy snowfall during the period of October 23 and 24, 2021 as “State specific calamity” in-terms of para 3 (ii) of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines issued by MHA, Gol, vide no.33-5/2015-NDM-l dated 30.07.2015; for purpose of providing relief to the affected families and departments from SDRF,” read an order issued by Secretary Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DDMRRR).
Earlier on October 28, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha while inaugurating Apple festival-2021 at SKICC, had announced that recent heavy rain, hailstorm and snow affecting the crops were declared a “natural calamity and UT-specific disaster.”
He had also stated that the government would provide relief to all the farmers, who suffered damages on this account.
As per initial assessment by officials, 75-80 percent of Kharif and Rabi crops in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts was totally damaged in the hailstorm and rains while apples in Shopian and Kulgam suffered the maximum damage in Kashmir region.