Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 27: Political leaders across Jammu and Kashmir have expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the recent flash floods and landslides that struck several parts of the Union Territory. Extending condolences to the bereaved families, they also urged the administration to provide immediate relief, compensation, and ensure safety measures for the affected people.
Former Chief Minister and Chairman DPAP, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has expressed deep sorrow over the recent floods in J&K, particularly in the Jammu province. He said the cloudburst in Bhalessa has caused massive destruction, damaging several properties, while in parts of Jammu, many houses and shops have also been affected.
Ghulam Nabi Azad said it is extremely unfortunate that precious lives have also been lost in Katra due to the calamity. He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for strength to bear the irreparable loss. He said, “the loss of lives in Katra is deeply tragic. The Government must ensure proper relief and extend immediate assistance to the families who have lost their loved ones in this disaster.” He appealed to the people to remain vigilant and stay in safer places until the situation improves.
The DPAP Chairman urged the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the people, provide immediate relief, adequate compensation to the affected families, and ex-gratia to the kin of those who lost their lives. He further said, “even in several parts of Kashmir, the water level has crossed the danger mark. The Government must make necessary arrangements to ensure the safety of the people. Shelter sheds must be arranged immediately for those who have lost their homes and they must be shifted to safer places.”
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah expressed sorrow and concern over the devastating floods that have severely impacted several areas of the Jammu region. He expressed grief over the death of over 30 pilgrims who died in a tragic landslide while performing the yatra towards Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for swift recovery of the injured.
In his message, Dr Abdullah extended his condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones, homes, property and livestock in this calamity. “The timely reach-out and rescue operations undertaken by the administration have saved countless lives and brought much-needed relief to those stranded,” he said.
He further urged Central Government to immediately release financial and logistical assistance to aid in relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts. He also appealed to NGOs, civil society organizations and citizens to come forward in solidarity to support the ongoing relief efforts.
Senior BJP leader and Member Parliament, Gulam Ali Khatana, expressed serious concern over the unprecedented floods that have hit Jammu and conveyed his sympathies to the people affected. He said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is closely watching and monitoring the situation, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also keeping constant track at the national level.
Khatana added that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is personally supervising operations in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that NDRF, SDRF, paramilitary forces and the Indian Air Force are carrying out rescue and relief operations continuously, and supplying immediate relief materials.
The MP stated that the administration is working to restore essential services on priority. He said teams are already engaged in bringing back electricity, drinking water and mobile communication in the affected areas. He appealed to the people to remain calm and cooperate fully with the authorities.
Khatana assured the people that he will continue to remain in touch with both the local population and the officials until normalcy is restored. He said every possible step is being taken to reduce the suffering of the people and to bring life back to normal in the shortest possible time.
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) also expressed deep shock over the loss of lives, including 34 Vaishno Devi pilgrims and five others in Doda district, and injuries to several others due to devastating rains and landslides. In a statement, JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra and other senior Congress leaders expressed deep shock over the loss of lives and injuries to a number of people. They conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured persons.
Karra and other senior leaders also expressed deep sorrow over the death of four persons in Doda district due to devastation caused by heavy rains besides injuries to ten others. They prayed for peace to the departed souls and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families. They prayed for the early recovery of the injured and asked the administration to arrange for the best treatment to the injured.
The PCC leaders urged the Government to provide immediate ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of those killed and to the injured for their specialized treatment. The Party also expressed serious concern over the devastation caused by the heavy rains, floods, cloudbursts, and landslides and urged all concerned agencies to be on full alert to come to the rescue of people getting trapped and affected.
Other signatories of the statement were working president Raman Bhalla, senior leaders Ch Lal Singh, Mula Ram, Balwan Singh, Ravinder Sharma (chief spokesperson), Yogesh Sawhney, Ved Mahajan, T S Bajwa, Yashpal Kundal, Th Balbir Singh, Sheikh Haider, Naresh Gupta, Jahangir Mir, G M Saroori, Shah Mohammed Chaudhary, Iftikhar Ahmed (MLA), ex-MLAs Indu Pawar, Dina Nath Bhagat, Ashok Dogra, Krishan Bhagat, Hari Singh Chib, T S Tony and others.
National Conference (NC), while expressing profound grief and anger over the tragic death of 30 pilgrims, questioned the LG’s decision, who is also the Chairman of the SMVD Board, to let Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra continue despite the inclement weather forecast. In a joint statement, additional general secretary Ajay Kumar Sadhotra and provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta raised serious questions about the glaring lapses in decision-making that led to the avoidable tragedy.
“The buck for the safety and security of every pilgrim stops squarely with the Chairman of the Shrine Board,” they stated, adding, “When the severe weather forecast for the Jammu province was well-known, why was the yatra not halted proactively? Why were pilgrims allowed to continue on a track which is prone to landslides during such extreme conditions?”
They said that the primary responsibility of the Shrine Board is to ensure pilgrim safety, a duty that appears to have been severely compromised. “This is not the first incident of its kind, and yet, the administration seems to have ignored clear and present dangers. The LG cannot keep getting away with such glaring lapses,” they added. The leaders extended their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and demanded a thorough, time-bound inquiry into the failures that led to this catastrophe.
Expressing his shock over the natural calamities that have hit J&K, particularly the Jammu region, former Sadar-e-Riyasat, Dr Karan Singh has hoped that the Central Government would extend all necessary support to deal with the crisis.
In a statement, issued here today, the nonagenarian leader extended his deep sympathy to the bereaved families of those who have perished and prayed for speedy recovery to those injured. “I hope the Central Government will extend all necessary support to the State administration to deal effectively with the current crisis,” he said.
Former Cabinet Minister and vice president of J&K BJP, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, expressed shock over the loss of lives, property, and crops across J&K, particularly in the Rajouri and Poonch regions in recent flash floods, heavy rains, and landslides. In a press statement, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali expressed deep shock and sympathies with the bereaved families of the Adhkavari tragedy in Katra where scores of pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi lost their lives in a major landslide.
Zulfkar Ali stated that huge losses have occurred across the Pir Panjal regions of Rajouri and Poonch districts due to the incessant rains. Heavy floods and landslides have damaged standing crops, horticultural produce, and even the property of people worth several crores.
He demanded the Government send special revenue teams to assess the losses on the ground and provide adequate compensation to the sufferers of this disastrous natural calamity. Chowdhary Zulfkar himself visited several areas of Rajouri district and interacted with the sufferers.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), national spokesperson Youth, Rishi Kilam, also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi landslide. Rishi Kilam said it is a total failure of the Shrine Board and LG Manoj Sinha as they allowed the pilgrims to undertake the Yatra when there was a high alert by the weather department.
Kilam described the incident as “saddening” and extended condolences to the families of those who died. He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured. “My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest!” Kilam said, and appealed to the Central Government to provide the best support to the victims and urged the Shrine Board to provide adequate compensation in favour of victims. He also sought the immediate resignation of the LG.
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