Ramban, Apr 21 (KNO): Terming the recent cloudburst in Ramban as a “big disaster”, Leader of Opposition and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Sharma on Monday said that the tragedy deserves to be declared a national disaster by the Centre.
Sharma, accompanied by other BJP leaders, visited the affected areas to assess the damage caused by the sudden cloudburst and ensuing flash floods.
Speaking to reporters during his visit, Sharma, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said, “We will recommend to the Centre to declare this tragedy as a national disaster.”
The BJP leader expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and destruction of property. “Three people have lost their lives in this calamity. Around 20 to 30 shops have been completely destroyed. We have come here to assess the situation and will soon submit a detailed report to the Government of India,” he said.
Assuring the people of Ramban of full support, Sharma emphasized that the BJP will play the role of a constructive opposition. “We will ensure that the Jammu and Kashmir Government provides the requisite support to the people affected by this disaster,” he added.
Highlighting the expectations of the public from the PM Modi-led government, Sharma stated, “People have a lot of hope in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. I want to assure them that both the Central and UT leadership of the BJP are fully committed to providing all possible assistance to the victims of this disaster.”
Pertinently the flash floods triggered by the cloudburst last week caused significant damage to infrastructure and livelihoods in Ramban and led to the closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Authorities have launched relief and rehabilitation efforts as teams continue to assess the full extent of the destruction—(KNO)