PMC engineers in J&K to restore water infrastructure

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will help flood-affected Jammu & Kashmir. A team of engineers left for the Valley on Wednesday.
The civic body had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Srinagar Municipal Corporation in 2008. Both civic bodies promised each other assistance about infrastructural issues.
"The first team, including engineers and chemists, left for Kashmir on Wednesday.They will deal with problems affecting water purification in Srinagar. The sewage treatment systems are also to be rebuilt there," said V G Kulkarni, head of water department.
Kulkarni, who is a member of the team, said they will approach the local self-government authorities and commissioner to finalise the place of operation. Details of the works and the next visits will be finalised soon.
Over 2.26 lakh people have been rescued in Jammu & Kashmir so far in the 15-day operations. Civic officials will also contact the armed forces to help build infrastructure. The officials are carrying some equipment with them, but if more tools are needed, they will approach the armed forces.
The armed forces has launched Mission Rahat in Jammu region and Mission Sahayata in Kashmir region. Eighty transport aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army Aviation Corps are part of the rescue and relief operations. The army has deployed around 30,000 troops for both missions. A total of 224 boats from the army and 148 NDRF's inflatable boats are involved the operations.
A total of 19 relief camps have been set up in Srinagar at BB Cantonment, Avantipur, Old Airfield, Sumbal, Chattargam and Jijamata Mandir, and in Jammu region.
Civic officials said they will visit these camps to check the infrastructural needs related to water and sewage.
The first priority will be to build a set-up for providing drinking water. The officials will also address sewage treatment problems in these camps and in nearby areas. Fumigation is also on the anvil.