Continuing his outreach to flood and landslide-affected communities, Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, on Saturday visited Dhara Sangla in Surankote and interacted with the families who suffered losses in the recent landslides and flash floods.
The visit formed part of the Minister’s extensive tour of flood and landslide-affected Pir Panjal region over the past several days, aimed at assessing the ground situation, reviewing relief and restoration efforts and ensuring timely assistance to the affected population.
At Dhara Sangla, Rana offered condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and assured them that the Government shares their grief and stands firmly with them during this difficult time.He was accompanied by MLA Surankote, Choudhary Mohammad Akram along with officers from various departments.
“The Government stands firmly with every family affected by this tragedy. We will remain with you through this difficult time and ensure timely support, including immediate relief, rehabilitation assistance and compensation, to help you rebuild your lives," the Minister said.
He also told the residents that the Government is closely monitoring the situation and remains fully committed to restore normalcy at the earliest.During the ongoing tour, the Minister has been visiting some of the worst-hit villages and remote habitations, interacting with the affected families and inspecting damage to homes, roads, water supply schemes, irrigation facilities and agricultural land. He is also reviewing the pace of relief and rehabilitation works being carried out by the district administration and line departments.
While taking stock of the restoration of essential services, Rana emphasised that the relief process must remain people-centric and responsive. He directed the officers to ensure that genuine cases of loss are assessed promptly and that eligible families receive relief and compensation without unnecessary delay.
Rana also stressed the need for long-term disaster mitigation and preparedness in vulnerable areas. He directed the officers to identify landslide- and flash-flood-prone locations and prepare comprehensive plans for permanent protective works to safeguard lives, property and infrastructure.
He reiterated that the Government will continue to monitor the situation closely until normalcy is fully restored. He directed the concerned to restore damaged roads, drinking water schemes, power infrastructure and other public utilities on war footing to ease hardships for the affected population.