G. M Saroori visited Thathri, Gugara Kahara, met with cloudburst sufferers

Announced various relief measures for rehabilitation and welfare of the victims

THATHRI, JULY 22: - Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Vice President, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori visited the cloudburst-sufferers of Thathri areas of district Doda and announced various relief measures for the rehabilitation and welfare of the victims.
The MLA Inderwal was accompanied by SDM Thathri Mohd Anwar Banday, Executice Engineer PHE Abdul Wahid Zargar, Tehsildar Thathri, SDPO Thathri, BMO Thathri and other sectoral officials of CAPD, Revenue, RDD besides local Congress leaders.
Saroori took stock of the extensive damage caused by the cloudburst in the area. While having a round of the area, he was anguished to see the magnitude of damage to public infrastructure, private properties like houses, business establishments, etc. He was informed by people there about the details of the destruction caused by this. At this juncture, Saroori expressed his deep sympathies with the victims of the fire and assured them of every possible help within the capacity of CDF and MPLAD of Ghulam Nabi Azad (MP),”.
While addressing the local people's and sufferers in Thathri Dak Bungalow, Saroori termed state Government's (PDP-BJP) response to the cloudburst tragedy that struck Thathri as "grossly inadequate", "tardy," and it looks cruelly indifferent, opposition Congress has asked the Government to come out of the "indifferent attitude" toward the people and reach out to the victims.
Saroori said the Centre and state has in the past responded with all urgency and seriousness to the natural calamities that have struck various parts of the state, whether it was earthquakes or floods. "However, in case of Chenab Valley (Thathri, Batyas, Malikpura, Bhalessa) there seems to be a lack of empathy and concern which could result in increasing the trust deficit between the state and rest of the country," State Congress Vice President said.
He demanded from the Centre or state that a minimum compensation of Rs 5 lakhs for every victims, destroyed house and Rs two lakh for repairable house may be announced to the victims immediately. He said government failed to response adequately and extend any help to Thathri cloudburst victims to the "pain and destruction" Thathri has suffered in recent cloudburst.
"People of the Chenab Valley could not be left to their own fate for the inability of ministers to deliver. The Centre and state has a moral and legal obligation to provide immediate relief and ensure proper rehabilitation of the affected people at the earliest and such a responsibility is not limited to the only issuing statements in press or electronic media. We have noted that the democracy is strengthen by the people and not by territory alone. "Government has to reach out to the people at this crucial juncture with adequate relief and ensure proper rehabilitation and reconstruction," Saroori said.
Saroori announced Rs. 50 thousands each to the next kins of the family members who died in the devastating cloudburst under CDF funds and Rs.1.09 lakhs per house as ex-gratia under SDRF. He said few people came here in Thathri to communalise the devastating cloudburst in the area which is shameful for them as they lacks vision, approach towards poor and innocent peoples. He said funds released under SDRF are an act in which the government has to meet the expenses for relief and rehabilitation due to disaster situation, so "koi ehsaan nahin kiya", they didn't favour anything on the victims, Saroori said.
He also gave Rs. 10,000 each to cloudburst sufferers as immediate relief to the people to enable them to construct tin-sheds, distributed two months free rations, 5 no. of blankets and suits to each sufferers. Rs 4000 per family out of Red Cross, tents, kitchen sets and ration kits.
Saroori also praise the Youths of Thathri who mounted rescue operations in the face of ravaging cloudburst water, mud without caring for their own safety and distributed Rs. 1000 each among ten youths for helping the sufferers.
He instructed the officials concerned to restore basic facilities like drinking water on a priority basis. He directed officials to rehabilitate people living in the houses facing the threat of land subsidence.
Saroori further alleged that Minister of state in PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh who is local MP of the area have released Rs.5 lakhs for the fire victims of Mugalmaidan but failed to announced any relief till now for Thathri cloudburst victims, why the callous attitude for two different areas, he urged him to immediately announced Rs.5 lakhs each for the victims.
"Few miscreant people have the habits to do the politics on the dead and said they should avoid such cheap politics. I have avoided indulging in any blame game and instead have tried to join the rescue and relief operation across the Thathri area without politicizing the issues," he said and urged government that release the compensation in favour of the sufferers as they need adequate compensation in this hour of grief," he added.
Later Mr. Saroori also visited Gugara area of Kahara tehsil to assess the damages caused by incessant rain and flood in the area. He also addresses the gathering in Kahara main bazar and announced Rs. 6 lakhs out of his CDF for construction of Nallah in the Gugara area to avoid any future cause. On the demand of general public, Mr. Saroori also announced Rs.10 lakhs for construction of sanitary bathrooms in Kahara and Rs. 50 thousands for construction of minar at Jamia Masjid Kahara