• ‘Beyond monitoring situation and ministerial visits to Kashmir,Govt needs to ensure victims get basic amenities of life’

SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) chairman and MLA Khansahib Hakim Mohamamd Yasin Thursday urged the government to provide succor to flood hit victims of Kashmir in general and Budgam district, which has been worst hit, in particular without and delay. In a statement to press he said, “Till now government has been saying that it is monitoring the situation and ministerial teams are visiting Kashmir. But beyond that it (government) needs to pull its socks and provide succor to the needy without any delay. People in Kashmir and particularly in Budgam district have been worst hit due to the recent torrential rains, landslides and flash floods.”

“It is the duty of the government to ensure that people who have been displaced due to floods and landslides get shelters, food, water and other basic amenities of life uninterrupted. Also government should ensure that people in the Valley get electricity and water supply as the same has been disrupted in several areas,” Hakim Yasin said. He urged the government to provide full compensation to the families of Laden landslide victims without any delay.

The MLA Khansahib also urged the state government to make loss assessments to agriculture and horticulture due to the recent rains and floods and compensate the people fully. “Agriculture and horticulture are backbone of Kashmir economy and government must give due attention to it and see how problems of farmers can be alleviated,” he added.

The PDF chairman also lamented the apathy of central government in releasing the flood relief package for September 2014 flood victims. “Sofar the response shown by the government of India to floods in Kashmir is insufficient and reflects an insensitive approach of the union government towards the tragedy stricken Jammu and Kashmir. There is a dire need for rehabilitation of the flood affected people especially those who have lost their bread and butter,” Hakim Yasin demanded.