Cong urges J&K floods to be declared national calamity
Jammu
The Congress on Sunday urged the Centre to declare the recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir a national calamity and provide a comprehensive relief package for affected communities. J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra also demanded a judicial probe into the deaths of over 100 pilgrims in the twin incidents of a cloudburst at Chisoti and a landslide en route to Vaishno Devi last month.
Karra criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent visit to the worst-hit areas, saying it dashed public hopes. The visit proved casual and failed to address the plight of 1.40 crore people, he stated. The Congress leader also highlighted the lack of basic amenities in many villages across Jammu, where electricity and water remain disrupted.
Calling for lessons from past disasters, Karra noted that the BJP-led government had failed to implement effective flood mitigation measures, such as increasing river and flood channel capacity. He proposed a relief package including free ration for six months, electricity support for farmers, loan waivers under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, and fresh interest-free loans to restore agricultural productivity.
Karra insisted on a judicial probe by a retired high court judge into the August tragedies to hold authorities accountable for negligence. He further recommended forming a high-level expert committee to examine man-made factors, including illegal mining, contributing to recurrent disasters. The Congress emphasized urgent relocation and rehabilitation for vulnerable populations and preventive measures against waterborne diseases.
The party maintained that without timely government Intervention and a structured relief plan, the people of Jammu and Kashmir would continue to suffer, echoing the failures observed in the aftermath of the 2014 floods.
