Congress delegation visits Chashoti

Kishtwar, Aug 16: In the aftermath of the devastating cloudburst in Chashoti village of Padder, senior Congress leaders Choudhary Lal Singh, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori and others visited the affected families, expressed condolences, and demanded adequate compensation and rehabilitation measures. They urged the Central Government to provide Rs 10 lakh to each bereaved family, reconstruct damaged houses, ensure government employment for one member of every victim’s family, and declare the Kishtwar–Machail road as a National Highway.
A high-level Congress delegation led by senior leaders Choudhary Lal Singh and former minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori visited the flood-ravaged Chashoti village in Padder to assess the situation on the ground and extend solidarity with the victims of the recent tragedy. The leaders interacted closely with the affected families, offered condolences for their irreparable losses, and assured them of continued support.
Lal Singh strongly criticized the Central Government, accusing it of ignoring the development needs of Jammu and Kashmir. He said the lack of national highways in the Chenab belt has made life extremely difficult for the people.
He also urged the local administration to expedite relief and rehabilitation measures, ensuring that no affected family is left without assistance. While the visit provided some moral relief to the victims, the affected families continue to await immediate and concrete steps from the Central Government to address their plight.
Speaking on the occasion, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori described the incident as the most devastating natural calamity he had ever witnessed in his life. He said, “I have never seen such a cloudburst in my life. It is a huge natural disaster, and the State Government alone cannot deal with this. The Central Government must act swiftly.”
Saroori criticized the Centre for failing to respond promptly to the tragedy, pointing out that even days after the incident no senior representative from New Delhi had visited the site. He further alleged step-motherly treatment towards the Chenab region, noting that despite repeated demands, no national highway had been sanctioned for this difficult terrain. He reiterated a long-pending demand to declare the Kishtwar–Machail road as a National Highway, which he said was essential for connectivity, safety, and rapid response during emergencies in the remote region. Echoing Saroori’s demands, Lal Singh said that each bereaved family must receive ₹10 lakh ex-gratia relief, full reconstruction of their damaged houses, and one government job to help them rebuild their lives.
Prominent among those Shakeel Ahmed Shah, Riyaz Ahmed, Irshad Ahmed Sheikh, Pyaray Lal Shan, Anas Munshi, Mudassir Ahmed, Swaran Singh, Shariq Saroori, Irshad Ahmed, Mohd Iqbal Keen, Abdul Wahid and others accompanied the senior leaders.