J-K Assembly's Committee on Environment demands urgent, time-bound inquiry into Kishtwar cloudburst
Chairman, Committee on Environment, M Y Tarigami said the deadly cloudburst has once again brought into focus the vulnerability of Jammu and Kashmir's Himalayan region to extreme weather events like flash floods, landslides, and avalanches.
Srinagar, Aug 16 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly's Committee on Environment Saturday expressed grave concern over the Kishtwar cloudburst, and demanded an urgent and time-bound inquiry into the tragic incident.
Tarigami, who represents south Kashmir's Kulgam in the Assembly, asked whether any survey and assessment of the whole area has been made by involving the department of environment and other organisations and suggestions recommended for prevention of cloud bursts and safety of people.
He demanded an urgent, time-bound probe into the tragic incident, questioning why precautionary measures were allegedly not taken despite early warnings from the Meteorological Department about severe rainfall, cloudbursts and flash floods in high altitudes of the Jammu region.
'Why were these alerts ignored and preventive measures not taken? It amounts to criminal negligence,' he said, adding, the 'bureaucratic inertia and lack of concern' must be accounted for.
The senior CPI(M) leader said such disasters are not merely natural, but are 'exacerbated' by the 'reckless exploitation' of resources, deforestation, unabated and unauthorised use of stone crushers and the 'commodification' of land.
The working class and marginalised people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot continue to be 'sacrificial lambs' at the altar of profit-driven environmental degradation, he said.
He highlighted the alarming frequency of cloudbursts and extreme weather events across the region, including Pahalgam, Bandipora, Shangus, and Ladakh, where infrastructure and livelihoods have been severely impacted.
'The hills mourn, the birds wait in despair, the winds howl warnings, and the rivers weep – nature is screaming for justice. Yet, the ruling elites remain deaf to these cries,' he lamented. PTI SSB MNK MNK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
33 minutes ago
- News18
Rajya Sabha takes up Indian Ports Bill amid Opposition walkout
New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) A bill to consolidate laws relating to ports, promote integrated port development, facilitate ease of doing business, and ensure optimum utilisation of India's coastline was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, amid noisy protests by the Opposition. The Indian Ports Bill 2025 was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 12. As the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, BJD's Sasmit Patra, who was in the Chair, informed the legislators that the Business Advisory Committee had decided to allot three hours for discussion on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025. He also said that the committee has approved one hour for consideration and passage of the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill 2025, after it is approved by the Lok Sabha. Patra then asked Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to introduce the Indian Ports Bill 2025, which was listed on the agenda of the House. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge stood up and demanded discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. He was joined by other Opposition members demanding a discussion on the issue. However, the Chair declined to take up the matter, which led to noisy protests by Opposition members. They raised slogans demanding discussion and staged a walkout in the House. The House took up the discussion on the Indian Ports Bill. Sonowal moved the bill, which aims at consolidating laws relating to ports, promoting integrated port development, facilitating ease of doing business, and ensuring optimum utilisation of India's coastline, among others. The bill aims to establish and empower State Maritime Boards for effective management of ports other than major ports besides establishment of the Maritime State Development Council for fostering structured growth and development of the port sector, he said while moving the bill for consideration and passage. The bill provides for the management of pollution, disaster, emergencies, security, safety, navigation, and data at ports; ensure compliance with India's obligations under international instruments to which it is a party; take measures for the conservation of ports; provide for adjudicatory mechanisms for the redressal of port-related disputes and address matters connected therewith, Sonowal said. PTI AKV AKV ANU ANU view comments First Published: August 18, 2025, 16:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
36 minutes ago
- The Print
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition protests rejection of notices
The Deputy Chairman said 19 notices have been received under Rule 267, on four subjects. Soon after the House met at 11 am, Deputy Chairman Harivansh made an obituary reference to former Nagaland governor La Ganesan, after which listed papers and reports were laid on the table of the House. New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned on Monday till 2 pm following protests by Opposition members over the rejection of their 19 adjournment notices on various issues. He said 11 notices do not contain a 'motion drawn in proper terms', 10 notices do not mention the date, 11 notices do not contain rules which the members seek to suspend, and 13 demand discussion on 'a matter which is subjudice'. 'Since none of these notices received today are in adherence to the requirement of the rules, I am not admitting any of the notices,' the Deputy Chairman said. Harivansh then tried to take up the listed Zero Hour. Opposition MPs, who have been demanding a discussion on the issue of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, were up on their feet protesting the Chair's rejection of their 19 adjournment notices on various issues. The Deputy Chairman urged the protesting members to let the House function. However, the Opposition did not relent, leading to adjournment of the proceedings till 2 pm. PTI AO DRR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
37 minutes ago
- The Print
GST reforms: Congress says it is vindicated
'It was the Vijay Kelkar Committee report of 2004 that led to the first announcement of GST in Mr. P. Chidambaram's Budget Speech of Feb 28, 2006. Here, Dr. Kelkar and his colleagues offer their suggestions for a transformed GST 2.0,' Ramesh said in a post on X. Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh claimed the economy has never recovered from the twin 'Modi-inflicted shocks' of GST 1.0 and demonetisation. New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Congress on Monday said it stands vindicated on its criticism of the 'flawed' Goods and Services Tax after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised a simplified GST structure. 'The Indian National Congress stands vindicated on its criticism of the flawed GST 1.0 that was pushed through on July 1, 2017, giving the economy its second serious shock after the notebandi of Nov 8, 2016. The economy has never recovered from these twin Modi-inflicted shocks,' the Congress leader said in his post. The Congress has been alleging that the GST 1.0 is flawed and there has to be one single tax, with Rahul Gamdhi dubbing it as 'Gabbar Singh Tax'. Prime Minister Modi on Sunday said the Centre has circulated the draft of the next-generation GST reforms among states and sought their cooperation to implement the proposal before Diwali. He said the reform in GST would benefit poor and middle-class people, as well as small and big businesses. Modi had announced the proposal to reform the GST law in his Independence Day speech on August 15 from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The present GST tax rates of nil/zero on essential food items, 5 per cent on daily use products, 12 per cent on standard goods, 18 per cent on electronics and services and 28 per cent on luxury and sin goods will be replaced by two tax slabs of 5 per cent and 18 per cent plus a special 40 per cent top bracket for 5-7 demerit goods. The proposed two-slab regime, if approved by the GST Council, will replace the current four slabs in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, doing away with the 12 per cent and 28 per cent slabs. The changes that have come about after nearly six months of deliberations and dozens of meetings have been conceived in a way to ensure that demand for tax tweaks does not arise, and also that input tax credit (ITC) does not get accumulated in the system. PTI SKC DV DV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
