NDMA Vice Chairman Hands Over Pre-Fabricated Community Shelters in Leh to Ladakh AHDC
Shri M. Shashidhar Reddy, Vice Chairman, NDMA, visited Leh yesterday and formally handed over sixteen prefabricated shelters constructed by NDMA in the aftermath of cloudburst and flash floodsthere. The shelters built with funds from PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF), were handed over to Shri Rigzin Spalbar, Chairman/Chief Executive Councilor of Ladhak Autonomous Hill Development Council, J&K Govt. and will be utilized for community and educational institutions.
After the cloudburst and flash-flood which had devastated Leh in August, 2010, an amount of Rs.5 crores was sanctioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) in October, 2010 for the erection of these pre-fabricated shelters. NDMA undertook the work of erection of these pre-fabricated community shelters at different locations on the sites identified by the State Government and the local administration,. This was a challenging task to be completed before the onset of winter which is very severe in that region. The work was completed by NDMA in a very short time of about six weeks through Hindustan Prefab Ltd (HPL), a Government PSU under the Ministry of Housing & Poverty Alleviation who was entrusted with this job.
Chairman & Chief Executive Councilor of Ladhak Autonomous Hill Development Council expressed his gratitude on behalf of all the beneficiaries for these shelters and the role played by NDMA and NDRF during the disaster. The Vice Chairman, NDMA assured them to take their request on additional shelters to the notice of Prime Minister for seeking funds and take up the work during next year. Shri Reddy further assured them of all necessary help in the field of raising community awareness and capacity building.
It was pointed out by the local authorities that the average rainfall in this area is only 10 to 12 mm. But due to increasing trend in the rainfall, there is a possibility of the roofs of the local houses, traditionally made of mud bricks, getting badly damaged. Responding to the concerns expressed in this regard, the Vice Chairman, NDMA assured them that he will get this issue examined by the experts to find some solution to this problem.
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RS/-