Declaring that 2015 will be the year of reconstruction and development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said the devastation caused by the recent floods will need a gigantic effort and an extraordinary vision to rebuild the lives, livelihood, infrastructure and homes.“Reconstruction of Kashmir will need a serious effort and extraordinary vision to get it back on the rails,” she said while addressing various roadside meetings in Sonawari assembly constituency of Bandipora district.
Mohammad Yasir Reshi, candidate for Sonawari assembly constituency was also present on the occasion.
Mehbooba said Kashmir which faced a vast devastation as a result of nature’s fury in September this year will need everybody’s effort to set into motion a comprehensive process of rehabilitation and reconstruction. “Though it is a massive challenge and task to rebuild the lives, infrastructure and homes again but it will be the top most priority of the PDP to re-establish Kashmir afresh in a planned way once it is vote to form the government,” she said and assured the people the process of rebuilding will start soon after the new government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed takes over the reins of the state.
Calling for a decisive mandate for her party, the PDP chief said the party has formulated a comprehensive plan to rebuild safe, sustainable and planned infrastructure in Kashmir and it will need the people’s support to make it happen on the ground.“After drowning the people, the National Conference-led government has badly failed in its duty to provide them any relief. The people who have lost their homes are facing hard times and are still living in tarpaulin tents bracing cold weather conditions. It should have been the priority of any sensitive government to at least provide the homeless people prefabricated structures but they have been left to live in tarpaulin tents,” said Mehbooba and added instead the relief was provided to the people who were not affected by the floods for petty political considerations by the Omar Abdullah government.
The PDP president said Sonawari took the major brunt of the September floods where dozens of villages have been completely damaged. “The devastating floods have damaged standing crops, washed way orchards and infrastructure in the area,” she said.“Thousands of houses have collapsed but the administration feels that the problems of the flood victims are solved by simply ignoring them,” Mehbooba added.She said the efforts put in by Yasir Reshi the candidate for PDP in Sonwari constituency during the crisis times were outstanding. “Yasir who is possessed with great leadership qualities and humane nature stood day and night with the people to ensure their safety and provided them relief. He did whatever was humanly possible for him to do,” Mehbooba said.
She claimed the anger against the local MLA and minister among the people is genuine as he kept missing from the ground when he was needed the most.Mehbooba said Sonawari constituency is endowed with immense natural beauty in the shape of lakes- Mansbal and Wullar and river- Jhelum and the PDP will harness that for tourism, navigation and irrigation. She said the PDP during its tenure in the government established Mansbal-Wullar Tourism Development Authority but this inefficient government didn’t consolidate on the idea with the result its benefits have not reached to people. She said the money meant for the Wullar Conservation Projects has also been embezzled by the ruling party politicians.The people of the area have been facing immense hardships due to shortage of drinking waters, ration and other essential commodities and the PDP will put in serious efforts to address these issues, Mehbooba said and added once voted to form the government PDP will develop Sonawari as real golden bowl.