Identify culpability, fix responsibility for public infra damages during recent floods in J&K: M.Y. Tarigami

CPI(M) leader and Kulgam MLA M.Y. Tarigami, also the chairman of the Environment Committee of the J&K Legislative Assembly, on Friday (September 5, 2025), demanded a neutral high-level assessment “to identify culpability and fix responsibility”, as recent floods damaged public infrastructure, including dams and bridges, in J&K.

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“An immediate, transparent third party safety audit of all public infrastructure, including dams and bridges, to identify culpability and fix responsibility. The land mafia and encroachers must be given exemplary punishment. They are enemies of the people and of the environment,” Mr. Tarigami said.

Over 100 people lost their lives and property worth crores were damaged in the past one month in J&K due to rains-triggered landslips, cloudbursts and flash floods.

Also Read | Nearly 9,000 evacuated as floods affect 3 districts in Kashmir

“The anti-corruption body (ACB) is stated to have registered an FIR. This needs to be thoroughly investigated. The details of the wetlands having vanished since 2015 be made public,” Mr. Tarigami said, while referring to spending of ₹144 cores on dredging Wular basin, ₹38 crores at Hokersar wetland and ₹60 crores on Jhelum river.

“The floods of 2014 were a warning. Had we drawn lessons from that unfortunate tragedy we could have minimised the devastations of 2025 floods. The fact remains that our track record on conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)—which is an essential prerequisite before any major project is conceived and implemented, is almost minimal,” Mr. Tarigami said.

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He said Jhelum capacity of 63,000 cusecs in 1962 “was halved due to heavy siltation”.

“Restoring this requires a massive, coordinated ecological friendly dredging operation of the main river, its tributaries, distributaries, and receiving basins to reclaim lost volume and prevent future flooding, in Jammu plains, valley of Kashmir, Chenab and Pir Panchal Valleys,” he added.

He urged the Government of India to come forward and assist the J&K Government by providing adequate funds for relief and rehabilitation of all those who have suffered huge losses.