Srinagar: National Conference (NC) Saturday impressed upon the incumbent administration to wake up to post snowfall exigences.
A statement of NC issue here said the party’s Members of Parliament, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi asked the divisional administration of Kashmir to come to the rescue of the people in the upper regions of north, south and central Kashmir, where inclement weather and heavy downpour had taken a heavy toll on the lives of the people.
They said that the heavy snowfall in the upper reaches had severely damaged the vegetative and fruit-bearing parts of the orchards.
The NC MPs said that the heavy downpour would impact the yield in the coming years, making it imperative for the administration to step in to provide succour to the affected.
“No sooner the weather condition improves, the divisional administration should constitute revenue teams and depute them to access the losses incurred by the orchardists so that the quantum of the compensation is worked out and distributed among the affected immediately,” they said.
The NC MPs said that the heavy snowfall had disturbed electric supply in various upper regions and underlying areas of south, north and central Kashmir districts.
They said that various far-flung areas had plunged into darkness due to the uprooting of electricity poles and tripping of transmission lines.
“Scores of water supply schemes dependent on electricity have come to a halt too. Water supply in various snow-bound areas has also been affected. The Public Health Engineering Department should make diesel generators operational at many such places in north, south and central Kashmir areas. Water tankers, if pressed into service, can go a long way in meeting the demand until the electric transmission is restored,” they said.
The MPs also demanded restoration of road connectivity in snow-bound areas in upper regions of Kashmir.
“As road connectivity stands snapped because of snowfall, people living in upper reaches of Kashmir continue to suffer many hardships. Patients, expecting mothers and children are the worst sufferers. It is expected that the administration will swing its men and machinery into action and restore the connectivity to such areas. Damages to culverts, bridges and roads should also be fixed on priority basis as well,” they said.
Meanwhile, Masoodi called Deputy Commissioners Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama and requested that all the nomads in their respective jurisdictions living in tents and temporary shelters be shifted to available government buildings and provided necessities of life, to prevent any further loss of life and minimise immense inconvenience to the families affected by inclement weather.
He expressed heartfelt condolences with the family of Tral who lost their three members in weather fury and asked the government to pay compensation to the affected families.