Cong says J&K suffered 'colossal damage' due to floods, seeks comprehensive package for victims

Srinagar, Sep 16 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Congress Tuesday said the Union territory has suffered a "colossal damage" due to heavy rains and floods, and urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to make the administration proactive in dealing with the situation.

Expressing solidarity with the affected people, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra also demanded a comprehensive package for their rehabilitation as well as relocation.

"There is a colossal damage in J&K due to flood situation. Every sector in J&K is involved. Perhaps we have not realised the magnitude of the damage," Karra told reporters here.

Expressing solidarity with all the sectors and people who have suffered the damage, Karra said, "The compensation or financial support of Rs 209 crore is a joke in view of the intense damage. We demand a comprehensive package for rehabilitation as well as relocation of the affected," he said.

He also demanded that the Centre should write off the KCC (Kisan Credit Card) loans of the farmers and that they be provided interest-free loans to rebuild their future.

"This is an extraordinary situation and the governments,“ both here and in Delhi, have to have a human heart to understand this damage and post flood trauma," he added.

Karra, who is also the MLA from Central Shalteng constituency here, expressed regret that the administration had not been as proactive as it should have been.

"Neither here (in Kashmir) nor there (in Jammu). Some people and departments have done exemplary work. But, the tendency among the senior bureaucrats is that they resolve issues while in their offices," he said.

The JKPCC president urged the chief minister to make the administration pro-active.

The senior officers should go to the ground rather than deciding things in their cosy offices, he said.

Karra also said the Congress has decided to suspend for the time being its campaign 'hamari riyasat hamara haq' for pressing the restoration of the statehood to J&K.

Referring to the situation arising out of the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and its impact on the fruit growers in the valley, he said the horticulture as well as transport sectors have suffered humongous losses.

"The fruits have been totally damaged. What do you expect from those trucks (stranded along the highway) to come out? They might even have to wait many days to throw away the waste material that they are carrying now. I fear about the mental condition of the growers and transporters. This is a huge loss for the transporters also," he added.

Describing the highway as "a failed project", the JKPCC chief said such problems will arise every year.

"Let us expect this fact that the national highway has proved to be a failed project as it has failed to sustain an episode of rain and flood. The road has given up within two-three years and it has not yet been fully built. There will always remain such problems. I do not think there is any other option than tunnelling," he said.

He said focus should be given to the Mughal Road,“ the alternative link between the valley and Jammu.

"Mughal Road should be exclusively dedicated for the transportation of fruits, and importing essential commodities," he added.

He also raised questions on the prolonged closure of the highway.

"Though it was a natural calamity, the timings of the road closure here raise many questions. Whenever the fruits are to be transferred, something happens and the road is closed or it is needed to be closed," he claimed.

Asserting that he was not getting into a blame game, Karra said there are apprehensions among the people that "maybe it is being done deliberately".

"Three of our industries have been hit this year. First of all, tourism was hit because of Pahalgam (attack). There is still no clear cut answer who was involved in that. They say they have liquidated those involved, but we do not know," he said.

He said then the mutton industry was hit in the wake of the rotten meat scandal.

"There are questions that while there was some problem, it was not of the magnitude that has been highlighted, due to which the industry has suffered. And now the fruit and transport industry," he said.

Our revenue generating sectors, Karra added, "are suffering or made to suffer one by one".

"I have not witnessed such a colossal damage in my lifetime, and it will be worse in the coming months," he said.

On the chief minister's remarks that the highway should be given to the UT government if the Centre cannot manage it, the JKPCC chief said he does not agree with the statement.

"Personally speaking, I do not agree with that. The BRO has a specialisation for such roads. The BRO is doing a very good job be it in J&K or Himachal or any other hilly state. The infrastructure or men and machinery they have, I do not think any state government has such an infrastructure," he said. PTI SSB KVK KVK KVK