Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 23: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha & Former Chief Minister of J&K, Ghulam Nabi Azad today toured the flood affected areas of Beerwah & Budgam to take stock of the damages caused by ravaging floods and listen to the views of the affected people.
Mr Azad was accompanied by PCC President Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, Vikar Rasool Wani, MoS Technical Education, Power & Information, G. M. Saroori, Former Minister & MLA Inderwal, Ghulam Nabi Monga, MLC, Nazir Ahmad Khan, Secretary PCC & Master Maqbool Ditrict President Budgam.
During the day long visit, Mr Azad visited more than a dozen places/villages including Bemina Bye-pass, Sodartth, Narbal, Gagerbal, Chack Kawaso, Kavosa Khalisa, Yarigund, Roshanabad, Sonoor, Chani Pura, Shiv Pura, Rossu, Adina, Warihama, Razwen, Chayer, Hanji Pura, Paeth Malhama, Boun Makhama, etc and had an elaborate interaction with the flood victims.
Seeking wholehearted support of Government to rebuild their lives from the scratch which have been shattered beyond imagination, people raised the demand of proper and efficient distribution of relief material, continuous supply of food material, providing of tents, restoration of power & water supply, full compensation for the damages suffered by them, etc. People especially sought immediate compensation for the losses incurred in terms of damage to their houses, orchards, agricultural lands, business establishments, etc so that they can reorganise their lives and resume earning livelihoods.
Attracting attention of Mr Azad to the massive destruction caused by overflowing Sukhnag river along its banks, people demanded dredging up of silt, earth, etc from its course so that its discharge capacity is increased once the water level rises. They also sought construction of a concrete embankment along river Sukhnag so that the damage to the habitations, agricultural lands, orchards, etc is kept at the minimum in the event of any future disaster.
Advocating the early announcement of liberal financial package at the earliest, Mr Azad said that with winter season staring us in our face, Central Government should expeditiously release the funds to State Government for taking up the rehabilitation and reconstruction work. He further said that since the State Government is not having the resources to surmount the huge challenge of rehabilitation of people and reconstruction of distraught infrastructure, there is no logic in delaying the sanction of special package by the Central Government.
He also called upon the State Government and administrative machinery to deal with this extraordinary situation with a renewed passion so that lives of beleaguered people can come back on rails. “Considering the enormity of challenge in terms of reconstruction and rehabilitation, a concerted and serious effort on the part of all Governmental agencies, political parties, civil society, especially youth is required and everybody must contribute his bit in this hour of need”, said Azad.
Follow our WhatsApp channel