KISHTWAR, Aug. 17 — A senior Congress delegation led by Choudhary Lal Singh and former minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori visited Chasoti village in Padder after a devastating cloudburst and demanded immediate relief, including Rs 10 lakh compensation, reconstruction of houses, and government jobs for each bereaved family, Aug. 17. The leaders also pressed the Central Government to declare the Kishtwar–Machail road a National Highway, accusing it of neglecting the Chenab region.
The delegation interacted with survivors, offered condolences, and assured support to the victims. Lal Singh criticized the Central Government for failing to address development needs in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the lack of national highways in the Chenab belt. He urged local authorities to expedite relief measures so no family was left without assistance.
Calling the disaster the worst he had ever witnessed, Saroori said the tragedy required an urgent response from New Delhi. “I have never seen such a cloudburst in my life. It is a huge natural disaster, and the State Government alone cannot deal with this. The Central Government must act swiftly,” he said.
Saroori further criticized the Centre for not sending senior representatives to the affected area and accused it of step-motherly treatment toward the Chenab region. He reiterated his demand for upgrading the Kishtwar–Machail road to a National Highway, saying improved connectivity was crucial for safety and emergency response in the remote district.
Echoing Saroori, Lal Singh called for ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh, full reconstruction of homes, and one government job for each victim’s family.
Several local Congress leaders, including Shakeel Ahmed Shah, Riyaz Ahmed, Irshad Ahmed Sheikh, Pyaray Lal Shan, Anas Munshi, Firdous Mingnoo, Mudassir Ahmed, Swaran Singh, Shariq Saroori, Irshad Ahmed, Mohd Iqbal Keen and Abdul Wahid, accompanied the senior leaders during the visit.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
