SRINAGAR, July 28: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday expressed deep shock and grief over the fatalities caused by the cloudburst that triggered heavy flash floods in Kishtwar villages.
In a statement issued here, Bukhari extended solidarity with the bereaved families and prayed for the eternal peace to the departed souls. “The reports pouring in from Kishtwar villages like Honzar and Dacchan are very grim. The administration must do its best to trace out the missing as immediately as possible besides shifting the inhabitants of flood affected localities to safer places,” he added.
He urged the administration to airlift the injured for treatment and evacuate the old aged, women and children to the safer places in the first phase of its flood rehabilitation plans.
Expressing serious concern over the safety of missing persons, Bukhari asked the administration to press into service its men and machinery to tackle the disaster caused by the flash floods. He also urged the Apni Party workers and volunteers to help the people in their relief and rescue operations.
Bukhari said that the government should seek help from the police, army and other para military forces to help the people in this difficult time. “I can only hope that the SDRF will play its role effectively but the government should not leave any stone unturned to help the people in this natural calamity that is vast in its magnitude,” he added.
Apni Party president appealed to the people to follow the weather advisories in letter and spirit so that the loss due to such disasters is minimized. “I call upon the administration to go for public announcements in hilly, landslide prone and vulnerable areas so that people do not venture out unnecessarily and follow the weather precautions effectively in view of the incessant rains in the region,” he added.
Bukhari urged both the divisional administrations to immediately gear up its preparations in order to tackle the weather situation in their respective regions.
