Loss to human lives, extensive damages to property & public infrastructure be compensated under National Calamity
Diplomat Correspondent
REASI: DD, Senior Politian Leader, and Former Minister, Aijaz Ahmed Khan has appealed to the Govt to declare cloudbursts hit areas in Jammu and Kashmir as National Calamity so that the affected families can be provided competitive compensation for the losses of human lives, their houses, and infrastructural losses during this monsoon season.
In a statement issued here today, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, expressed his concern over the situation that has compounded normal life into deep trouble, and more than 61 lives were lost in Chishoti, loss of life in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Kathua and other areas due to the heavy rains, cloudburst, and flash floods.
These natural disasters that has snatched human lives, and destroyed the homes of the poor people in the region, he said, and demanded that the Govt should declare this natural calamity as Disaster and accordingly, a compensation shall be given to the affected families, and reconstruction steps shall be taken by the Govt itself.
He said that during these devastating incidents due to cloudburst, and flash floods following heavy rains, the common life remained disrupted, and school remained closed, showing how the natural calamity had caused damage that should be considered as National Calamity.
Therefore, the compensation shall be released in the same manner in favour of the affected families under the National Calamity, and accordingly, it shall be treated while distributing the compensation in each district, following proper assessment on the ground.
The highways, and linked roads in remote and hilly districts have remained affected, and the commuters were among those who faced death-like situations due to the heavy rains.
In one such unfortunate incident, he said that a senior JKAS officer, and his son also lost his life during this season.
He said that the Govt should treat the presence crises like it treated the natural disaster in 2014 and provide compensation in a time bound manner to the people affected due to the floods.
He also demanded ration supply to the tribals, and other people, who live in higher reaches and Dokhs, across Jammu Region’s Pir Panjal, Chenab Region, Reasi, Samba, Kathua, and Udhampur Districts.
“These people are stranded in their higher reaches because of the heavy rains, and they are facing shortage of ration. Therefore, the Govt shall air drop or somehow supply them free of cost ration in their respective places for their survival and their livestock for next six months,” he added.
Referring to the recent cloudburst in Kathua, he expressed his solidarity with the family members, who lost their seven members of family, including minor children.
He demanded the people living close to the rivers, shall be rehabilitated at the safer places, and those who have lost their homes, and valuables, live stocks, and cattles, shall be compensated under the National Calamity, and a proper rehabilitation plan shall be chalked out by the authorities.DD
