Parl condoles deaths in J&K avalanches & demise of ex-MPs

Parliament today condoled the death of soldiers and civilians in avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir as well as former members of Parliament and foreign dignatories who passed away recently.
In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read out condolence messages for former members of the House and soldiers who lost their lives in avalanches that struck the Gurez and Machhil sectors of Jammu and Kashmir last week.
Mahajan said on January 25, four avalanches in Gurez and Sonamarg claimed lives of 20 persons, including 16 soldiers.
In Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari condoled the death of the soldiers and some civilians in avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir on January 25, 26 and 28.

"The loss of precious lives in these natural calamities is indeed painful," Ansari said.
Members in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha stood in silence as a mark of respect and in memory of those who lost their lives in these tragedies.

Ansari also read out obituary references to former members and foreign dignatories who died since the end of Winter Session of Parliament.
Ansari made obituary references to former Iranian President Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Seychelles Sir James Richard Mancham, Ambassador of Russia to India Alexander M Kadakin and former Members W Kulabidhu Singh, Hamid Ali Schamnad, Mohd. Hashim Kidwai and Ramdas Agarwal.

The Lok Sabha also paid homage to its former members - Jujhar Singh, P Viswambharan, Kishori Sinha, Sundar Lal Patwa, Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, Manku Ram Sodhi and Surjit Singh Barnala, who died recently.
The Lok Sabha also paid homage to the victims of a boat capsize in Ganga in Bihar on January 15, accident in Etah in Uttar Pradesh on January 19 which claimed 30 lives, including that of 18 children, and victims of train accident of Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Express that killed 39 people.