The CPI(ML) expresses its deep sorrow at the loss of lives in the devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families and all those suffering from this calamity.
This tragedy comes just days after the catastrophic disaster in Dharali, Uttarakhand, once again exposing the extreme fragility of the Himalayan regions. These recurring disasters are a grave reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked and poorly planned development projects that are straining fragile mountain ecosystems and putting countless lives at risk. The climate crisis has further exacerbated these dangers — the Central Water Commission (CWC) has itself recently reported that 34 out of 100 monitored glacial lakes in India show an increasing trend in water spread area, raising serious concerns about the heightened risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
We call upon the Central Government to immediately declare a national disaster and to mobilise all possible resources for urgent rescue, relief, and long-term rehabilitation of affected communities. A high-level scientific commission must be constituted to ensure preparedness for, and mitigation of, such disasters in the future.
-- issued by Central Committee of CPI(ML) on August 15
