Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 18: Calling for a massive and coordinated effort to rebuild flood-ravaged Kashmir, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that the PDP legislators and parliamentarians would donate one month salary for relief and rehabilitation.
He said the party legislators and parliamentarians would also utilize their constituency development fund for the relief and rehabilitation work. “The whole country must rise as one to support the residents of the Jammu and Kashmir in their hour of need, as it has done earlier when natural disasters have struck other parts of the country”, he said.
Emphasizing on the co-operation from all sectors to cope up the prevailing grave situation in the State especially in Kashmir valley, Sayeed said there is a pressing need to intensify the rescue, relief and rehabilitation operation by utilizing all resources in terms of finances, machinery, equipment and manpower. He said PDP would extend to the State Government whatever cooperation is called for to support the residents of Jammu and Kashmir in their hour of need.
Expressing dismay over the tardy response of the State Government to the catastrophe, Sayeed said that despite being forewarned by various experts about the looming disaster, the Government was caught napping resulting in colossal loss to the human lives and property. “Ironically, the State Government is yet to implement the 10-point plan for relief and rehabilitation presented by PDP President Mehbooba Mufti at the all party meeting convened by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 14,” he said.
Sayeed said as the State Government disappeared from the scene in the emergency situation, not only rescue and relief operation, but even the day to day administrative matters including restoration of damaged road links and management of traffic was taken over by the civil society especially the youth, to the utmost satisfaction of the people.
Complimenting various agencies including Army, Air Force, security forces and police for their role in rescue and relief operations, Sayeed said especially heartening is the commendable role played by the Kashmir’s promising young generation in saving precious lives and reaching out to the people in need, with meager resources at hand. He also complimented PDP cadres for their laudable role in rescue process.
Sayeed expressed his heartfelt condolences with the families who lost their near and dear ones in the devastating floods. He also expressed solidarity with the people who lost their properties including residential houses, business establishments, livestock, orchards, crops and other valuable goods in the floods.