Before rebuilding can begin in Poonch, some stocktaking

Indian Express

16-05-2025

Village-level committees (VLCs), comprising officials from various departments, will be set up to assess and verify the damage caused in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district by the recent cross-border shelling from Pakistan, the administration decided Thursday.
The decision came at a meeting chaired by Poonch Deputy Commissioner Vikas Kundal to formulate a coordinated strategy to carry out a detailed, on-ground assessment of damaged structures across border villages, a statement said.
The VLCs will have officials from the departments of Revenue, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Jal Shakti, Public Works, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
These committees will visit the affected areas to verify and document the extent of damage caused to structures by the shelling, the statement said. The damage, based on the physical condition of each structure, will be classified into three categories — full, severe and partial.
Apart from this, the committees will also categorise the damaged structures as either private property, commercial, or government-owned, thereby ensuring a comprehensive profile of all the losses sustained, the statement said.
The meeting was attended in person by the Additional District Development Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, and the tehsildars of Haveli and Headquarters. The Sub-Divisional Magistrates of Surankote and Mendhar, and the tehsildars of Mandi, Mankote, Surankote and Balakote, joined the meeting virtually.
Emphasising the need for a swift and transparent verification process to ensure timely assistance and rehabilitation of affected families, the Poonch Deputy Commissioner directed all concerned departments to provide full cooperation to the VLCs and ensure accurate documentation, supported by photographic and written evidence. The administration will review the progress of this initiative in the coming days, with followup meetings scheduled to address emerging challenges and expedite the response efforts, he added.
Meanwhile, to ensure that no loss goes unreported and no affected family is left behind, the Poonch district administration has launched the 'Report to Support' initiative to help those affected by the shelling.
Giving tehsil-wise WhatsApp contact numbers to enable people to directly report damage to their property or livestock via WhatsApp, this campaign enables residents impacted by the shelling to get swift assessment and assistance.
However, reporting through this medium will not replace the on-ground verification process, the statement said. Instead, it empowers residents to inform the administration of their losses directly, ensuring no one goes unattended or overlooked.
Poonch district was the worst hit during Pakistan's shelling in border areas in the aftermath of India's Operation Sindoor. As many as 13 people died in Poonch as a result of the shelling, and extensive damage to property and livestock was also reported.