Jammu: Senior Congress leader Shahnawaz Choudhary on Sunday urged the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government to declare the widespread rain-induced damage in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri a “natural calamity”.
Calling the scale of disaster “unprecedented”, Choudhary, President of the Poonch District Congress Committee (DCC), was disappointed that neither Chief Minister Omar Abdullah nor Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had visited the affected areas to assess the ground situation or offered condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.
Chaudhary, former AICC secretary, also demanded that the Centre and the UT government announce a special relief package for the affected families.
“The people of the Pir Panjal region feel abandoned at a time when they need the government’s support the most,” Choudhary said addressing a press conference in Surankote, the worst-hit area of Poonch district, which accounted for the majority of the 18 rain-related deaths reported in the district since July 19. Five persons are still missing.
Besides the loss of lives, hundreds of families have been rendered homeless, more than 100 houses have been completely damaged, over 200 houses have suffered partial damage, while around 18 families have lost their land and became landless, leaving them without any source of livelihood, he said.
He said the existing SDRF compensation norms are wholly inadequate to address the losses suffered by the victims.
The Congress leader demanded a special relief package comprising Rs 20 lakh for every fully damaged house, Rs 10 lakh for every partially damaged house, Rs 5 lakh for families who have lost their household belongings, and Rs 20 lakh as ex gratia to the next of kin of each deceased person.
He urged the Centre to sanction a special financial package for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in the affected areas of Poonch and Rajouri districts.
Criticising the BJP, Choudhary said the BJP failed to raise the issue forcefully before the Centre or secure any meaningful relief for the victims.
He also demanded that a substantial allocation from the chief minister’s Relief Fund be made exclusively for the affected areas of Pir Panjal to ensure timely rehabilitation of the victims.
Highlighting the urgent need for reconstruction, he demanded immediate restoration of damaged roads, bridges and other public infrastructure to reconnect remote villages.
He called for a detailed assessment of damaged educational institutions and the reconstruction of all affected schools at the earliest so that children’s education is not disrupted.
He also called for the deployment of additional National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel to expedite the search for missing persons.
The Congress leader assured that his party would continue to raise the voice of the victims at every forum until adequate compensation, proper rehabilitation and long-term reconstruction measures are ensured for every affected family.