Parl panel to visit J-K to analyse factor behind flood crisis

A parliamentary panel will visit the flood-affected state of Jammu and Kashmir to examine the causes behind the environmental crisis and also find ways of preparing for dealing with such calamities in the future.
The newly-constituted department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology will visit J-K after the relief and rehabilitation work there is over.
"We have decided that after all relief and rehabilitation work has been done, the Parliamentary Committee will visit J-K. It is very essential that the people of (the state) have this feeling that the entire country is with them.
"MPs of all parties, after going there, will discuss with government officials the reasons which led to such a big disaster, its solution and how to be prepared in future to deal with such situations.

"What should be the steps of preparedness, what are the shortcomings which through the Centre's help and the state government's coordination can be rectified," said Ashwani Kumar, Chairman of the Committee, which had a meeting today.
He said their panel wants to focus the nation's attention on the crisis through the parliamentarians and also send out a message of solidarity to the people of J-K.

Kumar said there is a lot of concern with what unfolded in J-K and the environmental and ecological dimensions of the crisis need to be considered.
He said that instead of doing everything at the same time, the committee has decided to focus on certain key areas within its jurisdiction and work on those.

Meanwhile, stating that the Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill is presently before the panel for its consideration, Kumar said that although several meetings have been held in the past, the matter is yet to be concluded.
"We will try and resume work on that," he said.