Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: To assess the damage caused by the flash floods and incessant rains and express their total sympathy with the flood victims and supervise the relief and rescue measure, the senior leaders of various political parties and ministers visited the flood affected areas in different parts of the State on the second day today.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former Chief Minister of the State, Ghulam Nabi Azad today asked the State administration to be at the beck and call of flood affected people and provide every help whatsoever required to them.
Immediately after landing in Jammu from New Delhi today Mr Azad straightway drove to the flood affected areas along the bank of river Tawi here to have a first hand assessment of the magnitude of the damage caused by the floods and incessant rains.
Accompanied by senior officials of Flood Control Department, Mr Azad directed the administration to show promptness in collection of flood damage details so that adequate help could be provided to the affected people.
He also took stock of the situation from concerned officers and asked them to prepare a two pronged strategy envisaging immediate and medium term relief.
While taking round of the city areas especially, two Tawi river bridges (near Doda Migrant colony) Gujjar Nagar and Har Ki Pandi near Bahu Fort and interacting with affected population, Mr Azad said that State has a long history of being hit by floods claiming lives and damaging crops, livestock and property, therefore a comprehensive policy taking care of every aspect of flood protection is need of hour.
He said the concerned departments in consultation with experts, must come up with an effective strategy for action by the Government. He asked the officials to speed up the relief and rescue operations so that the people are saved from the havoc created by the inclement weather.
Talking to media Mr Azad said “ at this stage, people must be shifted to safer zones. And once the weather condition becomes stable, the list of affected people with full damages of crops, live stock and property must be prepared by the revenue authorities so that the relief measures are initiated’’.
Earlier Mr Azad was scheduled to visit flood affected areas of twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and also those families who died in tragic road accident in Nowshera but due to landslides and road blockades, he had to postpone the same.
Later Mr Azad flew to Srinagar to take the stock of situation there.
On reaching Srinagar, Mr Azad immediately paid visit to Bone and Joint Hospital Barzulla which has been worst affected by the floods. He also visited Bemina Colony, Haj House which is fully inundated. He said entire Kashmir Valley and Jammu has been badly affected and situation remains grave with hundreds of villages submerged in water affecting lives of thousand of people.
To review the damage caused by floods and incessant rains and measures under taken by the administration to overcome the situation, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand today chaired a high level group of Ministers meeting along with Minister of Housing, Horticulture, Culture, Youth Services and Sports Raman Bhalla and Minister of Planning and Development, Ajay Sadhotra here to assess the loss of life, damage caused to property and public infrastructure across the Jammu region in last three days.
Divisional Commissioner Mr Shantmanu, IGP, Rajesh Kumar, DDC, Jammu Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Engineer PHE Sushil Aima, and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The GoM directed the Revenue Department to asses the loss and submit a report to the Government immediately for providing relief.
Tara Chand also inquired about the prevailing situation at different locations and assured all required help by the administration.
They also gave directives to Divisional Commissioner to depute Revenue officers for assessment of loss and asked for immediate restoration of breach of bund of river Chenab, Barsati nullahs and other damaged infrastructure.
The Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammed Sagar today visited various areas of Srinagar and took stock of the water logging situation due to incessant rains from the last three days in the Kashmir Valley.
He was accompanied by a team of senior officers and engineers of Revenue, PHE, SMC, Housing, PDD and R&B Departments.
While taking stock of the water logging situation that has arisen due to the incessant rains, Mr Sagar directed the officers to ensure that the necessary steps are initiated at the earliest to check the water logging in various low lying areas in the city, so that people living in these areas do not face any inconvenience. He said the Government has already put in place a mechanism by which the problems being faced by the masses are mitigated and in this regard several control rooms have also been established which are functional round the clock.
The Minister of Health & Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din today visited district Baramulla to review the flood situation. During the meeting held with DDC Baramulla and other senior officers of the district administration, the Minister directed them to provide all essential items to the affected families and to ensure shifting of those families living on the banks of river Jehlum to safer areas to avoid any loss of life.
Minister of PHE, Irrigation, Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma concluded an extensive tour of flood hit areas of Akhnoor including Garkhal, camp Garkhal, Mehra, Sangrampur, Shitrawala, Chak Skinder etc along the right and left bank of river Chenab to monitor the situation that has arisen after incessant rains and flash floods.
The Minister directed the local administration as well as Army and police personnel to remain vigilant and stressed them to be at the beck and call of the people whenever required so that they don’t face any kind of inconvenience at this moment of trouble. He also asked for energetic extension and most effective rescue plan for saving the human lives and their property.
He issued directives to officers asking them to take measures for the safety of affected people who have taken shelter in schools and other places and provide food and other necessary items to them.
The Minister of Finance Abdul Rahim Rather today conducted a day long visit to various flood affected areas of Chadoora and took stock of the damage caused to public and private property due to incessant rains and floods.
He also reviewed rescue and relief measures taken by the administration for flood affected people. Like some other parts of the State, the flood has damaged some vital bridges in tehsil disrupting total road communication network in the area.
Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Aijaz Ahmed Khan today visited Gool area and Ramban to assess the damage caused due to incessant rains and flash floods. He gave instructions to the concerned authorities to provide all basic facilities to people and take immediate rescue and relief measures.
The Minister assured the affected people that Government will take all steps on war –footing for rehabilitation of the affected people besides re-building the damaged infrastructure.
Minister of Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir toured various areas of Gulmarg Constituency to assess the loss caused by incessant rains and flash floods there. He was accompanied by senior officers. He urged the administration to be vigilant and remain at the beck and call of the people so that they do not face any kind of inconvenience. He also stressed them to place more men and machinery in place to meet any eventuality.
BJP president and MP, Jugal Kishore Sharma today visited Laam area in Nowshera where 50 members of a marriage party were washed away in flash floods yesterday. He issued directives to district administration to intensify rescue operations in fishing out the bodies. He met the bereaved families and assured all help to them.
He said that Prime Minister has announced Rs two lakh as ex-gratia for next kin of deceased and Rs 50, 000 for injured. Besides the Union Home Minister has also assured all support and help to State Government.
Jugal was accompanied by Chander Mohan Gupta and Charanjit Singh Khalsa. They also visited the residence of BJP Mandal president Laam S Swaran Singh whose son was also in the ill fated bus and expressed their total sympathies with the family.
Madan Lal Sharma ex Minister and former MP met the flood affected areas in border belt to ensure the affected people get support and are rescued to safer places.
PDP general secretary and MLC Yash Paul Sharma along with senior party leader Shah Mohammed Tantry today visited flood affected areas of Poonch and interacted with them. While visiting these areas Mr Sharma regretted that State Government has failed to rise on the occasion. He pointed out that miseries of people have been increasing with every passing day but authorities have yet to take any concrete steps.
Former Minster and MLA Vijaypur Surjeet Singh Salathia today visited border villages Barota, Kamore, Camp, Rangoor Camp and Nanga and expressed deep shock over the loss of properties of poor people of the area of border villages.
He assured the people that every possible help will be extended to them by the Government. He said due to heavy rains many people have been trapped in floods causing damage to the properties and human lives.
He also expressed shock over the death of 50 passengers in Rajouri area due to floods.
People’s Welfare Association patron and Trade Union leader Mir Ghulam Rasool visited Rabitar, Vakura and various other villages in Sherpathri in Ganderbal district to assess the damage caused to the people there. He criticized the Flood Control Department for not taking effective measures to protect the Rabitar village and other areas of Sher Pathri from flash floods of river Sindh which is in spate and demanded that dewatering be done in the area and boats be kept alt the disposal of the people.
PDP candidate from Jammu East Bharat Chowdhary today visited flood affected areas of Pull Par Mohalla, Baba Basti, Peerkho, Gujjar Nagar and adjoining areas to assess the loss. He urged the authorities to evacuate people to safer areas immediately till the water level recedes in river Tawi.
He said people living near river bank were facing a grave threat to their lives and administration was looking as a mute spectator.
BJP leader Chander Mohan Sharma and Bal Krishan Koul visited various Jugis on the bank of river Tawi to assess the situation after washing away of a number of Jugis by flash floods. The two leaders said that inmates of the Jugis have a narrow escape and accused the authorities for not taking adequate relief and rescue measures for them.
They also visited Jagti township of Kashmir migrants where the water logging and seepages has created a problem to inmates.
Former Minister and vice president PCC Mula Ram today visited Raipur Damana Constituency and took stock of the problems of the people there caused due to heavy rains and floods. He was accompanied by PCC organising secretary Hari Singh Chib and others. He said people in the Constituency have suffered a heavy loss of crops and cattle and demanded compensation for them.
Jammu Peace People’s Forum president Sanjeev Gupta visited Peer Kho area of Old City to asses the situation there caused by flash floods and incessant rains. He appealed the JMC Commissioner to conduct the survey of the area and asses the loss.
MLA and Party candidate from Jammu East Bimla Luthra today visited Gujjar Nagar and other localities to take stock of situation caused due to flash floods and incessant rains. She also took up the issue regarding protection of vulnerable areas with Chief Engineer Flood Control Department.
PDP senior leader Vikramaditya Singh visited rain affected areas of Akhnoor specially Jia Pota Ghat which has submerged in the flash flood. He also visited Pargwal island and its surrounding villages to estimate the losses caused by heavy rains during the last three days.
The PDP leader also conveyed his sympathies to the people of these areas expressed his deep condolences to the families who lost their beloved ones in the unprecedented situation.
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