Army’s top officer briefs L-G on relief operation in flood-hit areas of J&K

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) Tiger Division, Maj Gen Mukesh Bhanwala, on Monday called on Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and briefed him on relief and restoration efforts in flood-hit areas under Operation Rahat.

During the meeting, Sinha lauded the Army for minimizing the loss of precious lives by acting swiftly and providing humanitarian assistance to the affected people, a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.

Maj Gen Bhanwala briefed the L-G on the relief and restoration efforts of the Army in flood-hit areas under Operation Rahat, the spokesperson said.

Under Operation Rahat, the Army’s Western Command conducted extensive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions this month in flood-affected regions of J&K, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, officials said.

The operation involved 82 missions, deploying 59 Army columns and 17 Engineer Task Forces to rescue over 6,000 civilians and 300 paramilitary personnel, they said.

The Army also provided medical aid, delivered essential supplies, and undertook restoration efforts, including the construction of a Bailey bridge on the Tawi river and the use of drones for aid drops.

GOC reviews security

• The GoC of the Army’s White Knight Corps, Lt Gen PK Mishra, on Monday visited forward areas along the LoC in Rajouri district to assess the prevailing security situation in the sector
• The GoC lauded the professionalism of the troops and urged all ranks to remain steadfast with a strong offensive posture
• “The GoC White Knight, along with the GoC Ace of Spades Division, visited forward areas of the Naushera sector to review the security situation and the operational readiness of troops along the LoC,” PRO Defence said.