KL Report
SRINAGAR
Terming the policy of “discrimination and delaying tactics” adopted by the government towards providing relief and rehabilitation to 2014 flood victims as a cause of extreme concern, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Saturday alleged that the government claims of compensating the flood victims were far from truth and they were still being denied relief and rehabilitation.
“Victims are still living the miserable lives and were facing immense problems due to rehabilitation related issues and problems,” Mirwaiz said in statement.
A Hurriyat (M) spokesperson said a high level delegation of elders and Ulema from Arigatan, Zagal Pora, Kulgam, lcalled upon Mirwaiz at his Nageen residence and apprised him about affects of the post September flood situation in the respective villages. They complained to Mirwaiz that the government had not started any relief and rehabilitation programme in the villages severely affected by the floods except raising slogans.
The delegation informed Mirwaiz that September deluge damaged houses, some houses even got collapsed, and the standing crops worth millions of rupees were completely devastated. They said the severity of the damage inflicted by the floods was widely reported in the media while administration also acknowledged it. However, they said despite passage of six months, government had nothing to allay the problems of the villagers.
Responding to the complaints, Mirwaiz told delegates that Kashmiris were facing immense problems as a result of current heavy rains and also due to the after affects of September 2014 floods. He said that by not paying heeds to the complaints of flood victims, the government, as always, was showing callousness towards the problems faced by the people as far as the relief and rehabilitation was concerned.
The Hurriyat (M) Chairman said that he himself visited Arigatan and surrounding villages during floods and could testify to the fact about the widespread devastation caused by the deluge. He said that government instead of making verbal claims of relief and rehabilitation should practically address the problems faced by people on priority basis.
Mirwaiz said that Dar-ul-Khair Mirwaiz Manzil was utilizing its limited resources for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims and would do same in the future as well.
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz has expressed his solidarity and sympathy with the family members whose relatives died after they were buried under mudslides in Kupwara, Doda and Uri areas. He also appealed government to shift the people living under mudslide and avalanche prone areas to safer places in view of the ongoing heavy rainfall.
