Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI,Sept 23: Minister for Planning Ajay Sadhotra and Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Tuesday visited Nowshera in Rajouri district to convey personal condolences to the families who lost their kin in gruesome tragedy in the wake of flash floods in Laam village about two weeks ago.
“The tragedy left shattered the entire State”, they told the grieving relatives of the victims at the local Gurdwara this evening and prayed for peace to departed souls. They also prayed Almighty to grant strength to the bereaved families to bear irreparable loss.
The Minister said that the unprecedented and torrential rains left the entire state devastated with many precious lives perishing in the waters or getting buried in the landslides.
Expressing his condolences to the bereaved families, Provincial President Mr Rana said the entire state shared the grief of those who were killed in most tragic circumstances during devastating flash floods and landslides.
About the Laam tragedy, he said the people got dumbstruck over joyous moments turning into mourning within split seconds. “Same was the scenario when an entire family got under a debris of house due to land slides in the district leaving just one survivor”, he said and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.
Mr Sadhotra and Mr Rana said while damages to the property and infrastructure could be taken care of, the vacuum created by those falling victim to natural calamity cannot be filled. They assured the sufferers that Government was alive to their problems and would take all necessary measures to provide respite to them. “In fact, a major initiative has already been taken for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood victims across the state”, they said, adding that priority is to make the damaged houses habitable in shortest possible time in view of the ensuing winter.
The Provincial President also expressed shock over damages caused to property in the area and said the Omar led government has already embarked on massive rehabilitation mission with focus on restoration of utility services and raising infrastructure . “This is necessary for bringing back life to normal and ensuring renovation of damaged dwelling units”, he maintained.
The Minister and the Provincial President also paid tributes to those killed in the tragedy whose photos stand displayed outside the Gurdwara complex.
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