J&K Congress Surveys Flood-Hit Border Belt, Blames Lapses, Seeks Relief

Overview

• A delegation led by JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra toured Garkhal, Pargwal and Hamirpur in the Akhnoor sector to assess flood damage and meet residents.
• Locals and officials reported villages cut off in Pargwal, Dhanpur and Hamirpur, extensive road damage, destroyed crops and kachha houses, and rescues that included airlifting tribal families from Garkhal.
• Residents detailed shortages of drinking water, power and connectivity and complained about prolonged delays on the Indri bridge project that serves more than 20,000 people.
• Karra assured communities he would take their concerns to the Union Territory administration and the Centre, pressed for a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package and called border residents the country’s unarmed soldiers.
• On Tuesday, Karra expanded visits to Kathua and Samba districts, demanded a judicial probe into alleged administrative lapses with a technical committee of engineers, sought a Rs 5,000 crore package for Kathua and six months of free ration, and criticized the home minister for not visiting affected areas.