Jammu, 07 Sep, 2025: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee today demanded the centre to declare the recent devastation caused by the heavy rains, cloud bursts , landslides and flash floods as a national disaster in order to facilitate the people to get adequate relief and compensation and proper rehabilitation and reconstructions of the damages besides seeking a mega relief and rehabilitation package from the centre commensurate to the huge devastation and damage in the UT especially in Jammu region
The party also demanded setting up of a high level commission of experts to investigate into the reasons and contributory man make factors including large scale complaints of illegal minings behind the huge damage to the infrastructure and the loss to the properties .
Addressing a detailed press conference here today JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra accompanied by other senior leaders also reiterated the demands for the independent probe into the Vaishno Devi pilgrims tragedy by a sitting or retired high court judge to look into the criminal negligence behind the tragedy and fix responsibility for the same. He rejected the enquiry committee of officers as he said that similar committee set up after the stampede tragedy on January 1st 2022 failed to ensure justice to the victims .
He also explained that the Chashoti tragedy could also have been averted had he yatra been suspended in the wake of weather alert and there had been required infrastructure of any sort and even the road was not completed to the destination in last 10 years and there was total lack of infrastructure for the yatries. An enquiry committee should look into it and submit necessary recommendations .
Karra was flanked by Working President Raman Bhalla, Senior leaders Mula Ram, Balwan Singh, Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, Yogesh Sawhney, Ved Mahajan, T.S. Tony, Ch. Hussain Ali Waffa and others.
Expressing deep sympathies with those who have lost loved ones besides loss of livestock and property Karra said that It was a natural calamity of huge magnitude and the perhaps the entire loss of lives couldn’t have been prevented but many lives could be saved due to rescue operations. We commend all those who have done good job including our workers of youth congress, Seva Dal, members of civil society and media persons for their role to assist in rescue & relief operations. Youth congress activists did a commendable job.
The people have suffered immense damage to their houses, crops, livestock and other property. Some have totally lost their shelter, costly items, vehicles and other property of lifetime struggle. The public property and infrastructure damage is immense.
The farmers have suffered a lot in terms of crops,livestock and other property.Still people are suffering for some basic needs like water, power ,their approach lanes,drains and means of connectivity couldn’t be restored.
We are not for any blame game .People are witnessing what is happening. The Home Minister too came but nothing concrete was announced or assured. He didn’t take cognizance of Vaishno Devi & Chashoti tragedy
Rs 209 cr is a routine allocation but peanuts to the magnitude of losses and damage..For the relief & rehabilitation of people and reconstruction / restoration of basic amenities water,power, road connectivity, schools and other government infrastructure an immediate comprehensive mega relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction package should be announced by the Prime Minister. It should have components for relief & rehabilitation for individual and private losses,; public property losses and reconstruction; and public infrastructure reconstruction.
JKPCC demands that keeping in view the magnitude of the losses , it should be declared a national disaster as only them ,people would get adequate relief and rehabilitation package who have suffered immense losses.
He further said that the party demands setting up of a high level committee of experts from the centre to look into the contributory factors and man made reasons including the damage caused due to illegal mining by big contractors and firms in flagrant violations of the norms and also recommend measures for the ecological improvement .
Taking a dig at the BJP led centre Govt. for the big claims of tall development and smart city project, he said that it has turned Jammu into “ unsmart “ and put the people into lot of added trouble besides the damage is witnessed to the infrastructure created in the recent years while the earlier ones withstood the test of the nature adding that nature has exposed BJP’s tall claims.
The farmers should be adequately compensated for multiple losses.Besides their lands which were washed away should be reclaimed ,reconstructed and preserved & protected.
The loss/ damage of vehicles of people should be compensated by getting relaxations in insurance norms.
We demand that the assessment teams especially revenue agency should be instructed after relaxation of rules for the proper assessment of house damages as partial damage is sometimes full damage of the house.
The farmers need to given major relief and compensation for their crops loss damage of pumpsets,Waiver of KCC loans & power bills besides free ration for six months and compensation for loss of livestock after proper assessment etc.
Those people who are getting uprooted due to landslides and sinking of chunk of lands should be provided alternate lands/ sites for settlements for proper rehabilitation.
Several other measures are required to liberally support affected people for restoration, rehabilitation and rebuilding.
Our teams are visiting different affected areas and the party shall act as watchdog and highlight the genuine demands of the people.
We caution the authorities against any discrimination, disparities or biases.The people and our party workers should assist in the assessment of relief measures and act as watch dogs to ensure free and fair assessment and help to the people . He said that we recognize that MLA is an institution but at the same time there is large percentage who have different ideology or political shade and should not be left out or discriminated in any manner in a democratic set up.
Karra also cautioned about the apprehensions of spread of waterborne diseases, skin diseases , malaria, dengue etc. for which the Govt. must act in a timely manner to prevent spread of the diseases.
Karra who arrived here via Mugal Road after taking assessment of the ground situation in Poonch Rajouri, held series of day long interactions with senior party leaders About the situation in the different districts, today after the press conference left for assessment of the damages and sufferings of people in Katal Batal Nagrota, Gorkha Nagar, Gujjar Nagar, Jogi Gate and 4th bridge and adjoining areas.
