Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his visit to Ramban along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was to reassure victims of the recent natural disaster that the government remains firmly committed to their support, despite its current focus on the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking to mediapersons after chairing a review meeting with officials to take stock of the situation, the Chief Minister announced that five marla plots at secured locations would be allotted to families who lost their homes and land due to the disaster on April 20.
Three people were killed and over 600 residential and commercial structures were damaged during the flash floods and mudslides, which also caused severely damage to 250-km strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway between four-km stretch from Maroog to Seri near Ramban town.
Omar Abdullah emphasised that while the administration remains engaged in national security concerns, it remains equally committed to the welfare and rehabilitation of disaster-affected residents.
“Today, we have not come here to make any big decision. My purpose was to convey a message to the people that we are alive to their situation. We do not want them to think that all our attention is on Pahalgam and we have forgotten Ramban,” the chief minister said. The CM further said he decided to visit Ramban as soon as the situation post Pahalgam attack allowed him.
“I came to Ramban, met my colleagues and the people from the district administration and took a look at the situation. The highway has been opened for one-way traffic (on April 23). Tomorrow, because we want to work a little faster on the highway, maybe we will close the highway again for a day so that one of the closed tunnels is also opened,” Omar Abdullah added. In addition, he said the money that should be released for the restoration work has been released from Jammu.
“I have also told the administration and Deputy Commissioner (Ramban Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary) that there are many people whose houses have been damaged with some also losing the land beneath their homes which was washed away. I have asked the Deputy Commissioner to look for alternate land for rehabilitation of such families who lost land and houses so that they can be provided five-marlas land,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he had directed the Deputy Commissioner to prepare a separate relief proposal for owners of commercial properties damaged in the recent natural calamity, acknowledging that such losses are not covered under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms.
Omar Abdullah assured that affected families would be rehabilitated to safer locations, away from the threat of landslides and cloudbursts.
After chairing a review meeting in Ramban to assess the ongoing relief and restoration efforts, the Chief Minister visited Dharam Kund village, which bore the brunt of the flash floods and landslides. Three people, including two minor siblings, were killed and dozens of homes were damaged in the tragedy.
Abdullah traveled by road from Srinagar to Ramban to personally inspect the restoration work on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, particularly the Maroog-Seri stretch that was heavily impacted. He also reviewed the clearing of debris, and the restoration of road connectivity, water supply, and electricity.
This was the Chief Minister’s third visit to Ramban district in the aftermath of the April 20 disaster. He had earlier visited the worst-affected Maroog-Kela Morh sector on April 21 and Ramban town the following day, assuring residents of comprehensive relief and rehabilitation efforts.
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