Srinagar, Mar 04: Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) and former minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, has expressed deep concern over the colossal losses of lives and property due to recent weather vagaries, including snowfall, incessant rains, and gusty winds across Jammu and Kashmir. He has demanded immediate ex-gratia relief and compensation to the affected families.
Hakeem also urged swift action to trace out the bodies of three missing labourers who were washed away after an old Gungal Bridge in the Uri area of the Baramulla district was washed away on Sunday, leaving their families in a state of utter anxiety.
In a statement issued here, the former minister demanded compensation for those whose lives and property were exclusively damaged in recent heavy rains, landslides, hailstorms, and gusty winds that caused damage to residential houses, other structures, and orchards in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir. “There is an immediate need to reach out to the affected people and provide relief to them,” he said and stressed the importance of sending assessment teams to affected areas promptly to ensure that adequate relief is provided to the victims without delay.
The PDF Chairman urged the government to find a permanent solution to the waterlogging problem across the valley, saying the defective drainage system should be replaced. He called for increasing dewatering pump stations and mobile pumps to ensure swift action during rainy days.
Regarding the dilapidated condition of National Highway-44, Yaseen called for immediate attention from the government, saying that frequent disruptions of this important lifeline for Kashmir’s economy pose significant challenges to the smooth flow of goods and services, ultimately undermining the region’s economic stability.
