Indian-controlled Kashmir governor urges New Delhi to enhance flood relief

Governor of Indian-controlled Kashmir N N Vohra has urged New Delhi to enhance the relief package for the rehabilitation of flood victims in the region, a government spokesman said on Thursday.

"The governor has sought enhancement in the scale of relief in respect of severely and partially damaged houses and communicated it to the minister for home affairs in New Delhi," the spokesman said.

A non-governmental organization said that 300,000 houses have been damaged (either fully or partially) and rendered unsafe for living during last year's floods.

The local government has announced a cash relief of 1,140 U.S. dollars to the owner of every totally damaged house, which according to locals was "too meagre."

"In the detailed communication, the governor has highlighted that the scale of relief admissible under the State Disaster Response Fund is altogether inadequate for the affected families to even partially repair the damaged house," the spokesman said.

Indian-controlled Kashmir is reeling under devastation and destruction wreaked by floods that hit the region during September last year. The floods inflicted an estimated loss of 16 billion U. S. dollars on the region and left more than 280 people dead. Endi