Srinagar: Senior CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami on Thursday called for immediate relief for the flood-affected people in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Centre to declare the calamity a national disaster.
In a statement, Tarigami expressed deep concern over the destruction caused by the unprecedented floods, which have severely impacted infrastructure and agriculture, leaving thousands displaced.
“The horticulture and agriculture sectors have suffered massive losses across Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Jammu, south Kashmir, and the Warwan areas. Farmers and orchardists have been hit hardest,” he said.
He also highlighted the plight of small vendors in Jammu who rely on daily earnings. “Even these small-scale traders have incurred heavy damages. The government must reach out to them immediately and provide all possible support,” Tarigami added.
The Kulgam MLA pointed out that tribal communities, including the Gujjar-Bakerwals, have also been severely affected. “They have lost a significant number of animals, which constitute their livelihood,” he said, emphasizing that the disaster should serve as a wake-up call.
“Natural calamities may be unpredictable, but preparedness is always possible. Sadly, successive governments and society at large have overlooked the fragile Himalayan ecology,” Tarigami remarked.
He cited past tragedies in Kishtwar, Kathua, and Vaishno Devi, noting that despite forecasts and warnings, preventive measures were minimal. “This underscores how the administration remains dormant until disaster strikes,” he added.
Tarigami criticized the approach of treating disaster response as a “routine bad habit,” often limited to mere photo opportunities. “Local vulnerability is compounded by poor planning, deforestation, and alterations to natural drainage. We are now facing the serious consequences of a damaged ecosystem,” he said.
He urged the government to take the matter seriously, learn from the devastation, and formulate long-term strategies for disaster management and ecological conservation.
