SRINAGAR: The heavy snowfall experienced in Kashmir during the period of January 03to January 09 was on Thursday declared a State-Specific Natural Disaster under SDRF norms.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), an order under number 02-JK (DMRRR) of 2021, dated 28-01-2021, issued by Secretary to the Government, Simrandeep Singh, reads that “Sanction is hereby accorded to the:-Declaration of the spell of heavy/very heavy snowfall during the period 3rd to 9th Jan-2021, as ‘State Specific Calamity’ in- terms of para 3 (ii) of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines issued by MHA, GoI, vide No. 33-512015-NDM-I dated 30.07.2015; for purposes of providing relief to the affected families and Departments from SDRF.”
Pertinently, Kashmir Valley received heavy snowfall from January 03, which paralyzed the normal life for almost five days and caused extensive damage to the people as over 70 structures including residential houses got damaged across the Valley.
The heavy snowfall also claimed two lives in the Valley. One among the deceased was a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) man while another was a lady from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.