KL Report
SRINAGAR
Expressing serious concern over the loss of precious lives and property in various parts of Jammu region due to incessant rains and subsequent floods, the CPI (M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has criticized the state government for its lack of preparedness in dealing with the floods, which have killed over nine people and destroyed properties worth crores of rupees.
In a statement to KNS, the CPI (M) leader has said that the ill prepared administration has resulted into catastrophic effect because of its incapability to handle the first downpour, let alone what followed these rains. “The latest floods in Jammu region has once again exposed the state government’s lack of flood preparedness,” Tarigami said, adding that unfortunately the administration in Jammu and Kashmir wakes up to problems only when they stare people in the face.
While referring to the havoc created by floods that shook Jammu region, Tarigami said that unfortunately the Government has failed to devise an effective system to respond to the natural calamities despite adopting State Disaster Management Policy about a year ago. “The disaster management has nothing to offer except for sounding alerts in this state. And the government is busy in politicking and nothing concrete is being done to mitigate the sufferings of flood hit people in the region.”
“The state government approved three-tier Disaster Management Policy has not been able to provide a fool-proof mechanism to rescue, provide relief and rehabilitate to flood-hit people in Jammu region. There is no adequate infrastructure in place to deal with any kind of disaster in the state. The disaster management has been confined to the mock drills only and actually there is no effective mechanism to address the grievances of people on the ground,” he added.
The CPI (M) leader said the government also needs to work out rehabilitation of some population from the slide prone pockets to safer areas so that their sufferings can be done away with. “Apart from this, people, who have completely lost their houses, need to be compensated immediately so that they can rebuild them at the earliest to overcome the avoidable difficulties. Free rations and cash assistance should also be provided at the earliest to help mitigate the sufferings of flood victims.”
Tarigami also advised the government to carry out proper cleanliness drive in more than 15 affected areas once the flood water recedes from low line areas in the region. “The administration must wake up to the urgencies of the flood aftermath in the entire region. The flood hit areas must be cleaned and medical teams must be deputed to these areas to prevent any kind of eventualities,” he stressed.
Tarigami urged the government to depute teams of revenue department to flood affected areas for assessment of the losses caused to the movable and immovable properties besides loss to the standing crops, prepare their claims and forward the same for adequate compensation in a time bound manner.
