KL Report
SRINAGAR
Castigating state and union governments for doing ‘nothing’ for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday stated that the even after more than 4 months, flood affected were forced to spend their days and nights in this shivering cold under difficult conditions, a party statement said.
Mirwaiz said that the number of announcements made by the union government regarding assistance to be given to the flood victims have so far proven to be “hollow and no aid has come their way”.
Addressing a Friday gathering at Jamia Masjid Srinagar,Mirwaiz stated that people in Kashmir who were already suffering due to floods are now facing acute shortage of electricity, kerosene and cooking gas.
Terming the 35% cut in quota of kerosene allotted to Kashmir, as “revengeful policy” of New Delhi, especially during the harsh winter months, he said, “when price of electricity per unit is quiet high and frequent power cuts is the order of the day ,in such a situation to reduce the supply of kerosene as an available alternative for cooking and heating purposes is most cruel. Especially in the wake of appeals made by the state authorities to general public through media, asking them to avoid the consumption of electricity for heating and cooking purposes.”
“What are the public supposed to do in this situation?” he asked.
“Under such circumstances when demand for basic facilities of gas, kerosene and electricity cannot be met by GOI, Kashmiris should be allowed to look at alternatives of getting them from Azad J&K and Pakistan through the Muzzaffarbad Srinagar road,” he said.
“Since 1947, the pro India parties who claimed to represent the bijli, sadak, pani needs of people and came to power on promises of their redressal, have miserably failed to deliver and the basic infrastructural and administrative problems of the people have in no way got mitigated,” he alleged adding, “in fact they have worsened over the years.”
