Kishtwar, November 3, 2025: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday laid the foundation stone for the construction of new houses for families affected by the devastating floods in Chishoti, Paddar, Kishtwar.
Nineteen houses that were completely destroyed during the natural disaster will be rebuilt free of cost with the support of the High-Range Rural Development Society (HRDS India), a civil society organisation.
Paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the calamity, the Lieutenant Governor said the new three-bedroom prefabricated smart houses would help restore normalcy and stability for affected families.
> “The catastrophic floods claimed precious lives and destroyed homes and infrastructure. I am hopeful that these new homes will help families rebuild their lives with dignity,” the LG said.
Appreciating HRDS India’s partnership, the Lieutenant Governor recalled that he had earlier sought the organisation’s support to rebuild 1,500 fully damaged houses across Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, following the August floods.
> “Since SDRF relief is insufficient, this initiative will provide huge relief to the affected families,” he noted.
Each reconstructed house will feature a concrete base and a steel structural frame built with prefabricated technology, using durable materials such as fibre cement boards and powder-coated GI sheets — designed to withstand the region’s harsh climatic conditions.
The LG also expressed gratitude to emergency responders, the district administration, the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Police, and local volunteers for their swift action during rescue and relief operations.
> “The people of Chishoti have shown remarkable strength and unity in the face of adversity. Nature has tested them severely, but they met the challenge with courage,” he said.
Reaffirming his commitment to the complete rehabilitation of flood-affected families under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the LG announced several new development initiatives for Paddar and Kishtwar.
> “In a major boost to our efforts to provide modern infrastructure, the Government of India has sanctioned an Army Goodwill School and a petrol pump at Paddar,” Sinha said.
He further announced that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will reconstruct the Atholi–Machail Mata Road and build a new bridge in Chishoti. BSNL, he added, will install new 4G towers at identified black spots, with land already transferred for the purpose.
During his visit, Sinha interacted with local residents and directed the district administration to link youth with self-employment opportunities under Mission Yuva. He also assured that the ongoing works for augmenting facilities for Machail Mata pilgrims will be completed by May 2026, and that the demand for a Yatri Niwas at Paddar would be considered.
A two-minute silence was observed in memory of those who lost their lives in the August 14 disaster.
The event was attended by senior officials and public representatives, including Leader of Opposition and MLA Paddar-Nagseni Sunil Sharma, MLA Kishtwar Shagun Parihar, HRDS India President Swami Atma Nambi, Principal Secretary to LG Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar, DIG DKR Range Shridhar Patil, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Pankaj Kumar Sharma, and HRDS India Founder-Secretary Aji Krishnan, among others.
