Congress delegation visits cloudburst-hit Thathri, demands immediate relief and scientific investigation

• Seeks compensation, infrastructure restoration and action against environmental violations

THATHRI (DODA): A high-level Congress delegation led by former Minister G.M. Saroori on Saturday visited the cloudburst and flash flood-affected areas of Thathri in Doda district to assess the extent of damage and express solidarity with the affected families. The delegation demanded immediate relief, adequate compensation, restoration of damaged infrastructure, and long-term measures to prevent the recurrence of such disasters. 

The delegation comprised former MLA Naresh Kumar Gupta, District Congress Committee (DCC) Doda President Javed Ahmed Lone, Altaf Hussain, Asghar Hussain, Om Prakash, Mohd Iqbal Keen, Mushtaq Ahmed, Abdul Wahid Lone, Ch. Ghulam Mohd Masoodi, Ch. Mohd Ishaq, Mohd Iqbal Malik, Waseemul Haq Zarger, Irshad Ahmed Butt, Mudassir Latief, Imtaya Ahmed Hajam and others. 

The leaders visited the devastated market, damaged houses, shops, educational institutions and other affected locations, where they interacted with victims and reviewed the losses caused by the recent cloudburst and flash floods. The delegation expressed concern that several days after the disaster, many families continue to face shortages of drinking water, damaged roads, disrupted public services and delayed financial assistance. 

Former Minister G.M. Saroori said that the people of Thathri had suffered immense losses and deserved immediate support from the government. He criticized the slow pace of relief and rehabilitation efforts, stating that disaster relief funds exist to assist people during emergencies and should be released without delay.

Saroori urged the administration to provide adequate compensation to every affected family, restore essential services on a war footing and deploy expert teams from the Geology and Mining Departments to scientifically investigate the recurring cloudburst incidents in the Chenab region. He also demanded strict legal action against the indiscriminate dumping of construction debris into natural drainage channels, saying such practices significantly aggravate the impact of flash floods. 

Former MLA Naresh Kumar Gupta said that the affected families needed concrete action rather than assurances. He expressed concern that several households were still deprived of basic amenities despite the passage of several days since the disaster. Gupta called for immediate compensation under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), speedy reconstruction of damaged houses, shops and public infrastructure, and a special rehabilitation package for traders and families who had suffered heavy economic losses. 

District Congress Committee Doda President Javed Ahmed Lone appreciated the resilience and unity displayed by the people of Thathri, who came together to support one another during the crisis. He, however, emphasized that the responsibility for relief and rehabilitation rests with the government. He urged the administration to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply, restore road connectivity, remove debris from affected areas and provide timely assistance to every victim so that normal life could be restored at the earliest. 

The Congress delegation appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Government to expedite relief measures, release compensation without further delay, restore all damaged infrastructure and implement effective environmental safeguards to minimize the risk of similar disasters in the future.