1 week Ago By Daily Excelsior
Flood victims to get 5 marlas land at secured locationsExcelsior CorrespondentJAMMU, Apr 26: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today questioned Pakistan’s offer to join any “neutral and transparent” probe into the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people on April 22.Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation,” Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday.
Click here to watch video“First they (Pakistan) did not accept that something happened in Pahalgam. Then they even said it was done by India. They were the ones who first accused us, so it’s difficult to say anything about them,” Abdullah told reporters in Ramban.
Asked about Sharif’s remarks, Abdullah said, “I do not want to comment much on their (Pakistani leaders) statements. I regret the incident, which should not have happened.”On the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 with Pakistan, which India put in abeyance for the cross-border links to the Pahalgam attack, and the dams constructed over the Chenab River, Abdullah said, “Why are you linking the two? What does the water treaty have to do with these things? Whether the Indus Water Treaty is suspended or not, what does it have to do with these projects?”Meanwhile, Omar said the purpose of his visit to Ramban along Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was to convey a message that his Government has not forgotten the victims of natural calamity despite its focus on Pahalgam terror attack.
He announced five marla land at secured locations for those who lost their land and houses to the disaster on April 20.Three persons were killed and over 600 houses and commercial buildings were damaged in the natural calamity which also caused massive damage to 250-km strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway between four-km stretch from Maroog to Seri near Ramban town.“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.Abdullah 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,” the Chief Minister said.
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.
He said since the loss of commercial buildings is not compensated under SDRF norms, the Deputy Commissioner was asked to prepare a separate proposal for providing them adequate relief.The Chief Minister said the people will be rehabilitated at a safer place where they not find the threat of landslides or flash floods due to cloudbursts.After chairing the meeting, the Chief Minister visited flood-hit Dharam Kund village where three persons including two minor siblings were killed and dozens of houses were damaged.
Responding to concerns raised by public representatives, the Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner to submit a proposal for the provision of three months’ free ration to residents of affected areas.The Chief Minister informed that funds under the SDRF have already been released and assured liberal financial support for relief, rehabilitation, and restoration activities in Ramban. He emphasized that the government is working through a phased approach focusing on rescue, recovery, restoration and rebuilding to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
During the review meeting, DDC Chairperson, MLAs, and other officials flagged several urgent issues requiring immediate attention.The post Omar questions Pak offer to join neutral probe into Pahalgam killings appeared first on Daily Excelsior..
