Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged nearly $150 million on Tuesday to rebuild Indian occupied Kashmir and aid to Pakistan, as the toll from the killer quake rose here to at least 1,300.
Singh unveiled the upgraded package in occupied Srinagar after touring the flattened Kashmiri districts of Tangdhar and Uri. Uri, a town of 30,000 people, and Tangdar, lie close to the epicentre of the quake in Pakistan, where as many as 40,000 people have died.
"Thirteen hundred lives have been lost so far and it can go up," Singh told a press conference. He said at least 32,000 houses had been damaged, with half totally destroyed and thousands forced to sleep outside.
The police said at least 5,000 others were injured in the earthquake while Singh said 32,000 homes were damaged and nearly half of those destroyed completely.
"We are going to treat this as a national calamity--whatever is needed," he said. "I think the immediate requirement is to provide tents and warm winter clothing."
Singh also said India would send Pakistan any aid required for survivors of the devastating earthquake.
"I met the Pakistani High Commissioner, Aziz Ahmed Khan, yesterday. I told him we are ready to help in all ways. They have given us a list. Those requirements would have reached Islamabad by now," he said.
India was to start airlifting 25 tons emergency supplies to Pakistan on Tuesday, and Singh said that Indian military had also extended offers of help.
"Our army chief and the director-general of military intelligence have made certain offers but it all depends upon, I think, on Pakistan's sensitivities," Singh said.
"If they agree to this, there will be a positive response from our side."
In Uri, Singh met officials and military commanders to assess relief and rescue work. He offered India's fullest backing for Kashmiris amid growing complaints of shortages in the supply of food, water tents and clothing.
"There is a dire need for tents. We will do our best to remove the shortage of medical facilities. There are many children who have lost their families in the disaster. The government will take care of all children orphaned by the earthquake."
An inter-ministerial team was to follow Singh to assess the damage and aid requirements.
"There are over 12,000 people living in scores of villages who have not been reached so far. The road links to these villages have been snapped," Nayeem Akhter, a senior state government official, said.
The army said some supplies were getting through.
"We are reaching people in cut off areas. We are sending water tankers, food and medicines," Brigadier S S Jog later told state television. The state government set up satellite phone links in Uri and Tangdar after telephone lines went down, and sent generators to makeshift hospitals.
The government, based in Srinagar, had also dispatched 21 medical teams to care for the sick and injured in addition to army medics.
Army engineers and dog rescue teams have also been working round the clock to locate and treat survivors in the remote mountainous villages, situated at elevations as high as 11,000 feet.
Comments
Comments are closed.