As reports suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir next week to assess the damage caused by recent floods, cloud bursts and subsequent closure of Srinagar-Jammu Highway, people, who were hit hard by the natural calamities have high hopes that like the past, the PM will once again come to the rescue of affected populace and announce a relief and rehabilitation package that befits the losses effected by the disaster of such a huge magnitude.
Jammu and Kashmir was ravaged by an unprecedented flood that adversely affected both the Jammu division and the Valley, with the Jammu division bearing the brunt of the vagaries of nature. A cloudburst on August 14 killed 67 people, mostly pilgrims of Mata Machail Devi Yatra, and injured over 100 others in Kishtwar district. On August 26, 32 pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine were killed when a landslide hit a shelter space on the route of the shrine.
Besides these two tragic incidents, huge losses were recorded in various parts of Jammu both by floods and cloud bursts. Lives were lost, properties destroyed and road infrastructure demolished. Same is the case with Kashmir, particularly certain areas of south and central Kashmir. Flood waters here destroyed homes and hearths and the standing crop besides apples and apple orchards. As the harvesting season was on, the waters uprooted apple-laden trees thus dashing all the hopes of the apple growers.
Like the affected government, the Jammu and Kashmir’s elected government to is expecting a major package from Prime Minister with the Chief Minister detailing that the floods caused huge devastation in J&K as lives were lost, especially in the two yatras in Kishtwar and Katra. There has been a huge loss of property as well; 330 bridges were washed away, 1500 km of road were damaged, and several government buildings were damaged. He also mentioned huge losses to the standing crops and horticulture sector.
It may be recorded here that due to landslides and incessant rains, the Srinagar-Jammu Highway got closed resulting into the halting of huge number of fruit-laden trucks. The closure of road resulted in rotting of fruit in trucks thus huge losses to the apple growers. Though traffic has started trickling on this highway and the Union railway ministry has ensured parcel trains to ferry fruit directly from Budgam to Delhi, the fruit growers have already suffered heavy losses.
In this backdrop, hopes are high as reports suggest that PM will be accompanied by a team of experts who would assess the losses and accordingly a major and befitting package would be announced. J&K is grappling with adverse weather conditions resulting into economic losses and none other that the central government, under the leadership of PM Modi can put this place back on rails, economically.