Opposition walks out of J-K Assembly over poor PDP-BJP response to flood crisis

Legislators of the opposition National Conference (NC) staged a walk out from the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly on Tuesday over the PDP-BJP Government's inaction during the ongoing flood scare.

National Conference legislators said they were walking out because of the chair not allowing them to register their sense of alarm over the flood crisis.

So far, the flood death toll has been pegged at 17 following unseasonal rains and landslides in the mountainous northern parts of the state.

"The people of Kashmir have been left hapless due to the floods, especially in Srinagar. There is water everywhere; there is no proper drainage system in place, no pumps have been installed. They provided some measures in the Lal Chowk area but not in other low lying areas, which are inundated. Today we asked for this issue to be discussed in the assembly that the government should take action on the people responsible. Where were the officials at that time? Were they asleep when people were dying? They rescued four people from an unsafe area but then put them in another unsafe house. Who is responsible? Government is responsible," said National Conference legislator, Mubarak Gul.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed visited Srinagar on Monday to assess the situation and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office sent officials from New Delhi to assess the situation on ground.

Chief Minister Sayeed has also announced a relief package of Rs.235 billion for the state.