Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 1: Stressing the need of a `comprehensive action plan’ for disaster management, former Union Health Minister and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that the floods in Jammu and Kashmir, vulnerable to natural calamities, have reinforced the need to give due priority to the subject.
“There is the need to have a comprehensive action plan for disaster management. Jammu & Kashmir’s vulnerability to various natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, snowfall is well known and the current natural calamity has only reinforced the need of giving due priority to the subject,” Azad said.
He said that spreading awareness about the threat posed by natural disasters like floods, landslides etc will also help to mitigate their impact.
The Congress leader today toured Reasi, Gool, Arnas, Mahore Gulabgarh and Banihal areas of Chenab valley to take stock of the situation and assess damages caused by the recent heavy rains, floods and landslides.
Accompanied by Minister of State for Revenue (Ind charge) Aijaz Ahmad Khan and MOS Technical Education, Power & Information Vikar Rasool, Mr Azad visited Khanikote, Sungri, Shajroo, Thuru, Dheeda, Bhimdessa and Buzla in Gool, Gulabgarh in Reasi and Mahumangat, Pogal and Banihal in Ramban district. During his visit, he interacted with the affected people.
Expressing solidarity with the people, Azad said he was anguished to see the unprecedented destruction caused to public infrastructure like roads, bridges, power distribution network and water supply systems and private assets like houses, crops, agricultural lands, livestock etc.
Azad referred to his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh and hoped that keeping with the assurance given by the Central Government, a special financial package for reconstruction and rehabilitation will be announced in the interest of the State.
Calling for urgent declaration of the situation as the National calamity, Mr Azad said that the anormity of the challenge warrants a liberal financial package, irrespective of partisan consideration in order to restore the broken down infrastructure and rehabilitate the victims of nature’s fury.
Mr Azad asked the people to approach the concerned authorities for recording their damages and called upon the administrative machinery to carry out the assessment of damages with sensitivity, objectivity and fairness so that there is no room left for speculations and misgivings. The AICC leader called upon the respective Deputy Commis-sioners to extend all assistance to those who have become homeless in the current situation and underlined the need of making the relief distribution more prompt.
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