Jammu and Kashmir floods: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi submits report to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: As Jammu and Kashmir faced floods for the second time in seven months, a number of measures have been suggested for addressing the problem by Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was rushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Valley to assess the situation.

Naqvi presented his report to Modi here today after touring flood-affected areas of Srinagar and Baramulla and holding meetings with officials of the state government, army and paramilitary forces.

The Union Minister of State (MoS) for Minority Affairs also met affected people.

Emerging from his meeting with Modi, Naqvi said the Prime Minister and the Central government are committed to support the state government in every way in dealing with the situation arising out of floods.

"The Central government stands with the people and the government of Jammu and Kashmir in this hour of crisis and there is no need for people of the state to panic," he told reporters.

In his report, Naqvi is believed to have said that civil and military authorities are taking immediate steps to deal with the situation, which includes evacuation of affected people and efforts to plug the breaches in embankments in the Jhelum river.

He has suggested strengthening of embankments of the Jhelum river to prevent recurrence of floods, they said.

In the long-run, he has said that the sewerage problem needs to be addressed, sources said.

In his report, the Minister has said that illegal construction along the river and other actions hurtful to the environment are among the causes behind repeated flooding.

Naqvi is also believed to have told the Prime Minister that funds provided after floods in September last year had not been utilised properly as a result of which the same areas have been affected again.

He has said that an action plan needs to be prepared by the state government outlining permanent solution to the problem.