BJP calls for adequate compensation to cloudburst-hit families in Ramban

Jammu and Kashmir BJP on Wednesday called for adequate compensation to the families hit by flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains and cloudbursts in the Ramban district.

The demand was raised by a party delegation led by the Union Territory president Sat Sharma, who visited the district which was hit by the natural calamity on April 20, resulting in the death of three persons and massive damage to infrastructure, including roads, houses and land.

Sharma, accompanied by party MLAs Yudhvir Sethi and Devinder Kumar Manyal, general secretary Vibodh Gupta, district president Neelam Langeh, visited the worst-hit Dharamkund and assessed the ground situation and the ongoing relief efforts, a party spokesman said.

During the visit, the delegation interacted with the general public, especially the affected families, to understand their immediate concerns and long-term needs, he said.

“Despite Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visiting Ramban thrice in the past week and his other ministers also taking stock of the situation, the relief efforts are far from satisfactory,” the J&K BJP president told reporters.

He said the party rushed Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma along with four MLAs to the district on April 21 to take stock of the situation and prepare a report.

“The BJP wants the affected families to be compensated adequately and will continue its efforts in this direction,” Sharma said, adding that Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who represents the region in the Lok Sabha, is visiting the district on the coming weekend.

He expressed deep concern over the scale of destruction and requested for immediate release of “substantial financial assistance” from both the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) through the deputy commissioner’s office.

Sethi emphasised the importance of immediate repair and reconstruction of damaged roads and houses.

“Our activists are on the ground, working tirelessly to support those in distress. The BJP stands firmly with the people of Ramban in this hour of crisis,” he said.

Manyal said the party has appealed to business organisations and the civil society in Jammu to extend aid and support to the affected families.