Azad demands airlifting essentials for stranded nomads

Jammu, May 09: Chairman Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday urged the Jammu & Kashmir administration to airlift the essential commodities for the stranded Gujjar and Bakerwal community members due to unexpected snowfall and rain on the upper reaches.
The upper reaches, according to a DPAP statement, include Margantop Wardwan Valley, Daksum Sinthantop, Pahalgam Chandanwardi, Peer Ki Gali, Banihal upper reaches, Warwan, Nandimarg, Sonamarg, Patnitop, Paddar, Mardwa, Mahu Mangit.
“It was unfortunate that our people from the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities are left stranded at upper reaches due to untimely snowfall. They are running short of essential commodities and I appeal to the Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha Ji to intervene on humanitarian grounds and order the airlifting of essential commodities,” he said in the statement.
Azad said the people who suffered crop loss due to hailstorms in various parts of Kashmir shall also be compensated. “In various parts of Kashmir valley, the hailstorms have damaged the crop of mustard oil and the government shall compensate it so that farmers won’t be in distress. The paddy crop has been hit hardest, and many farmers will need to replant their crops. The government must stand by the farmers who suffered losses of paddy grains due to adverse weather conditions. They should be adequately compensated and provided with the paddy seed so that they could replant the crops,” the DPAP chairman said.