Jammu, Jul 26: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Environment Javed Ahmed Rana has said there was a need to strengthen disaster resilience in vulnerable areas and directed the administration to prepare a comprehensive long-term disaster mitigation plan in Poonch district, where 18 were killed in rain-related incidents.

Reviewing the situation on the ground, Rana, who is also the Tribal Affairs minister, instructed officers to identify all landslide and flash flood-prone locations and formulate permanent protective measures to safeguard lives, property and critical infrastructure.

The Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment said the focus should be on sustainable mitigation strategies to minimise the impact of future natural disasters and enhance preparedness in vulnerable regions.

Rana is camping in his home district for the past several days to review the ongoing rescue, relief and restoration operations and directed the departments concerned to restore damaged roads, drinking water schemes, power infrastructure and other essential public utilities on a war footing to ease hardships faced by the affected population.

He said the government would continue to closely monitor the situation until normalcy is fully restored.

Expressing solidarity with the affected families, the minister assured them of the government’s continued support.

“The government stands firmly with every family affected by this tragedy. We will remain with you through this difficult time and ensure timely support, including immediate relief, rehabilitation assistance and compensation, to help you rebuild your lives,” the Minister said.

During the ongoing tour, the minister has been visiting some of the worst-hit villages and remote habitations, interacting with the affected families and inspecting damage to homes, roads, water supply schemes, irrigation facilities and agricultural land, an official spokesman said.

He said the minister is also reviewing the pace of relief and rehabilitation works being carried out by the district administration and line departments.

While taking stock of the restoration of essential services, Rana emphasised that the relief process must remain people-centric and responsive.

He directed the officers to ensure that genuine cases of loss are assessed promptly and that eligible families receive relief and compensation without unnecessary delay, the spokesman said.

Banihal, Jul 26: The annual Shri Amarnath Yatra continued smoothly on Sunday with the 19th batch of 4,474 pilgrims leaving the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Baltal base camp in Kashmir under tight security arrangements.

According to the Joint Police Control Room, Base Camp Bhagwati Nagar, the convoy departed at 2:42 a.m. and comprised 166 vehicles, including 93 buses, 26 mini-buses, and 47 light motor vehicles (LMVs). No convoy was dispatched for the Pahalgam axis.
The batch included 3,531 men, 785 women, 96 sadhus, 51 sadhvis, 10 children and one transgender pilgrim.

The Yatra had remained suspended for six days after incessant rains triggered landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at several vulnerable locations along NH-44, forcing the closure of the highway for three days. The road was reopened for traffic on Friday, paving the way for the resumption of the pilgrimage on Saturday.

With the departure of the latest convoy, the cumulative number of pilgrims undertaking the annual pilgrimage this year has reached 1,23,503.

The convoy is being escorted by the CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police under elaborate security arrangements to ensure the safe movement of pilgrims to the Baltal base camp.

Super Specialty Hospital, Government Medical College (SSH-GMC), Jammu, Medical Superintendent Dr Rehana Khurshid has asserted that no patient visiting the premier prestigious medical facility has been denied treatment under the “Ayushman Bharat Sehat” scheme.

In a communique addressed to the Principal, Government Medical College, Jammu Dr Ashutosh Gupta, Dr Khurshid has stated that the patient care and emergency services across all departments continue to function seamlessly without interruption.

She refuted the allegations that appeared in some news reports regarding the denial of the treatment to the patients visiting the Super Specialty Hospital, Jammu registered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme due to the non-payment of vendor dues and supply shortages with special mention to the Cardiology Department (of the SSH, Jammu).

In this connection, SSH Jammu Medical Superintendent has also shared statistics about the medical procedures performed and the patient-cases handled under Ayushmann Bharat Scheme across all departments of the hospital (SSH Jammu) during the period between July 1 to 23, 2026 to “set the record straight.”

According to the details provided by her, during this period, in all 655 patients were admitted and treated in 6 Super Specialty departments.

Jammu, Jul 25: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday congratulated the youth of the country for, what he said, “their determined and democratic struggle” leading to Union Education Minister’s resignation.

“Today’s developments are a victory of truth, persistence and the collective voice of lakhs of students and young aspirants,” Karra said. JKPCC president, in a statement, also congratulated the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi, describing him as the “torchbearer of democracy in an era where democratic institutions and dissent came under increasing pressure.” Karra said Rahul Gandhi consistently stood with the youth, raised their concerns fearlessly and refused to allow their voices to be silenced. “The resignation of the Union Education Minister is self-explanatory. It is nothing but an admission that the government failed despite every attempt to suppress the voice of lakhs of young Indians demanding accountability and justice. Truth has prevailed over arrogance,” Karra said. He further remarked that this marked the second major surrender of the Narendra Modi government before the people of India.

“The first came when the government was forced to withdraw the three farm laws after the historic farmers’ movement. Today, it has once again been compelled to bow before the united voice of the nation’s youth. This is a clear reflection of the failure of a government that has repeatedly chosen confrontation over consultation,” Karra said. He asserted that no government, however powerful, could silence the democratic aspirations of the people for long, adding that India’s youth demonstrated that peaceful and determined democratic resistance remained the strongest force in a democracy. Later in the evening, the District Congress Committee also organised a “victory march and Satyagraha” from Dogra Chowk to Ambedkar Chowk to express solidarity with the students on the NEET and CBSE issues and condemn “brutal lathicharge on students” at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.