Jammu, Jul 22: Days after flash floods devastated several villages in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, leaving several people dead and many others missing, Anantnag-Rajouri MP Mian Altaf on Tuesday demanded that the affected region be declared a “calamity-prone area” and sought a special relief package for the victims.
At least 16 people were killed and nine others remained missing as torrential rains unleashed landslides and flash floods across the two districts on Sunday and Monday, causing widespread damage to public and private infrastructure, including roads and houses, officials said.
After visiting the worst-hit areas, Altaf urged the government to expedite rescue and recovery operations for the nine people still missing and appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally assess the scale of devastation.
He said the lieutenant governor and the chief minister should visit the affected villages to take stock of the situation.
“They should expedite the operation to trace the missing persons and recover the bodies. Families are waiting for their loved ones who were swept away in the floods,” he said.
Altaf said he rushed to the affected areas after hearing about the disaster and first visited Mandi in Poonch district, where nine members of a family lost their lives while five bodies were still missing.
“I travelled on foot in the rain, crossing dangerous streams, because it was my duty to reach the affected people. The damage is extensive and people are still risking their lives by crossing damaged footbridges. I have urged the administration to restore these bridges immediately, otherwise more casualties could occur,” he said.
The MP said he later visited Sangla and nearby Shirkhanda, describing the devastation there as unimaginable.
He said four members of a family were killed in Sangla and their bodies were yet to be recovered, while nearly 40 houses had suffered damage besides extensive loss to agricultural land and other property.
Altaf said he also visited villages beyond Mandi towards Loran, including Sawjian, where seven members of a family were killed in the flash floods.
“I have no words to describe the grief of those families. Another person also died in Loran. We met the bereaved families and offered condolences. The administration has provided the first instalment of relief assistance,” he said.
Calling for urgent intervention, Altaf appealed for immediate restoration of damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
“The place where we are standing has itself been partially washed away. It should be restored immediately after obtaining expert opinion. Infrastructure restoration should begin within a week without getting delayed in official procedures,” he said.
On being asked whether he would raise the issue in Parliament, Altaf said he would strongly press for adequate financial assistance from the Centre.
“It is not difficult for me to raise this issue in Parliament. I will raise it repeatedly. However, the initiative has to come from the state government. Whatever assistance the government seeks, the Centre should provide. Funds should not become an obstacle to rehabilitation. The scale of destruction warrants a comprehensive relief package for the entire affected region,” he said.
He also said he would write to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding the construction of a strong protective embankment from Fatehpur to Jawahir nagar in Rajouri to prevent future flash flood damage.
Altaf further stressed the need for scientific urban planning in Rajouri and Poonch, saying unregulated construction, poorly planned roads and inadequate drainage had aggravated the impact of the floods and required long-term corrective measures.
