Jammu, Sep 7: The Congress demanded that the Centre should announce a comprehensive relief package for flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir and declare the devastation a national calamity.
J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra also sought a judicial probe into the death of more than 100 pilgrims in the twin incidents of cloudburst and landslide on the routes leading to Machail Mata and Vaishno Devi shrines in Kishtwar and Reasi districts last month.
Karra said that recent visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Jammu dashed hopes of the affected population. Unfortunately, the hope of people were not fulfilled & visit proved a casual approach.
He added that Home Minister went to one of two places just to show his presence and not bothered to speak about the pilgrims who lost their lives.
He said that we demand a comprehensive package for reconstruction of damaged public and private infrastructure, rehabilitation of affected populations including farmers who have lost their standing crops to deluge.
Urging the central government to declare the disaster caused by heavy rains in J&K a national calamity & asked to come forward for assistance to rebuild their shattered lives.
The Congress leader also added that most of the villages across Jammu division are without electricity and water and urged the government to take concrete measures to provide relief to the affected population.
He also demanded free ration for six months for the families whose houses were submerged in the flash floods. Reiterating the party’s demand for a judicial probe into the August 14 Chisoti cloudburst and Vaishno Devi landslide incident on August 26.
He said the twin tragedies are needed to be probed by a sitting of retired high court judge to look into the criminal negligence of the authorities and fix the responsibility.
He added that if there was a forecast of heavy rainfall but still the pilgrims were allowed to undertake the yatra, while rejecting the three-member committee probe ordered by the Lieutenant Governor into Vaishno Devi landslide & forecast, However, Copy of forecast, issued at 15.07 PM on 25th August by JKUTDMA, which is with CTN reads as under:-.
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