The Western Command of the Indian Army has assumed command of large scale flood relief and rescue operations in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu, demonstrating rapid and effective humanitarian intervention in the havoc wreaked by the recent floods.
The mass operations, according to the officials, started on August 16 and included 47 army columns consisting of engineers, medical crews, and communication specialists. The Western Command has also been working closely with the civil authorities, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to ensure that relief is dispatched to most of the remote and flood-affected areas.
In his briefing to the media, Major General Puneet Ahuja, at the Western Command Headquarters in Chandimandir in the morning of Monday, reported that they have deployed 20 aircraft, comprising of advanced light helicopters and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, to undertake 24-7 humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations. Together they have recorded over 250 flying hours.
Such operations have resulted in the rescue of more than 5,000 civilians and 300 paramilitary officers trapped by floods. Another 21 tonnes of basic needs such as food packets and life-saving medicines have also been dispatched to villages that are cut-off.
On August 27, Western Command communication forces installed more than 2 km of optical fibre cable to reestablish essential mobile contact in remote areas. Only two days later, army engineers had built a Bailey Bridge across the swollen Jammu Tawi River in a record time of 12 hours, reopening an important road access point into the city.
On August 30, the Western Command Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar personally toured flood hit regions along Ravi river and Chenab river. His visit highlighted how the army is committed to ensuring that the support is sustained until normalcy is achieved.
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