𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐡𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬

The Dogra Sadar Sabha, in an urgent meeting of its Central Working Committee expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation across Jammu Province, which today stands at the point of unprecedented danger.
While talking to the press, Thakur G.S. Charak, President of the Sabha, said that a catastrophic landslide on the Vaishno Devi Yatra route in Katra claimed the lives of 32 pilgrims and left several others injured, bringing the sacred pilgrimage to a sudden halt, delivering a severe blow to Jammu’s faith-driven tourism economy. With torrential rains continuing to batter the region, the Yatra now stands suspended indefinitely, leaving lakhs of devotees stranded in Jammu and Katra, without proper arrangements for their stay or return to their respective places. Region-wide rains, flash floods and cloudbursts have not only claimed several lives across the province but have also rendered several families homeless and farmers landless as the fertile soil has washed away during these calamities.
He said roads, lanes and drains across towns and cities (including Jammu city itself) are either blocked or severely damaged, even destroyed; multiple bridges, including sections of the Tawi Bridge, as well as crumbled roads and national highways (Jammu–Srinagar, Kishtwar–Doda) remain blocked; train services stand cancelled or disrupted; water and electricity supply, telecom and essential services have collapsed across the region. Moreover, the transport sector has also suffered severely: over 5,000 vehicles were left stranded between Jammu and Srinagar, particularly along the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway and Udhampur–Manwal stretch, highlighting the massive scale of disruption and economic loss. These already tragic disasters have been worsened by reckless, unscientific blasting of fragile mountains for highways, railways, and tunnels. Entire hillsides are collapsing during rains, exposing villages and towns to danger and displacing thousands of families.
Charak impressed upon the JKUT administration to carry out the repair and restoration work of the damaged infrastructure on war footing ensuring accountability.

The Core members of the Sabha drew attention towards the Wider Fallout
● Pilgrim Tourism Collapse: The suspension and severe disruption of the Vaishno Devi and Machail Mata Yatras has a far reaching impact on transporters, hoteliers, shopkeepers, artisans, etc. who now find themselves grappling with uncertainty and loss.

● Heritage & Agriculture at Risk:
The Mubarak Mandi Complex, a jewel of Dogra heritage, continues to languish in decay despite repeated appeals and warnings. The government’s inaction has not only stalled its conservation but also led to the dissolution of the Jammu Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society (JMMHS), the constitutionally established autonomous body entrusted with the proper restoration and preservation of this historic monument.
The historic Ranbir Canal, a lifeline for nearly 65,000 hectares of fertile land that yields the world-famous Basmati rice, nourished by glacier waters, now faces neglect and damage, directly threatening the survival of farmers. Beyond endangering agriculture, this canal, itself a heritage monument, is also at risk of being lost to decay. The Dogra Sadar Sabha has long been demanding heritage status for this canal. Tragically, the once pristine waters of the Ranbir Canal now lie choked with silt and polluted by the city’s drains, reflecting the apathy toward both heritage and livelihood.

Neglect of the Statehood Demand
The Sabha noted with shock and disappointment that despite high expectations, the recent session of Parliament once again concluded without restoring Statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. This denial of constitutional and democratic rights has further alienated the people of this proud land: the “Crown of India.”

Sabha’s Demands
The Dogra Sadar Sabha urgently demands that the Central and J&K Governments:
● Order an independent judicial/parliamentary inquiry into the reckless blasting and unscientific infrastructure planning that have endangered Jammu Province.
● Launch urgent measures to restore and preserve heritage sites such as Mubarak Mandi by reviving the Jammu Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society, along with its governing and executive bodies, ensuring due public representation, and to rehabilitate the historic Ranbir Canal to safeguard both heritage and livelihood.
● Implement a comprehensive rehabilitation and compensation programme for affected families, farmers, traders, and hoteliers.
● Ensure priority for local youth in jobs, contracts, and reconstruction work.
● Adopt environmentally sustainable development policies, in line with UN and NDMA guidelines, which warn that poorly executed projects carry extreme risks of landslides, flash floods, and irreversible damage.
● Immediately restore Statehood to Jammu & Kashmir.

Call to Action
The Dogra Sadar Sabha warns that unless immediate corrective steps are taken, Jammu Province faces ecological, cultural, and economic devastation. The Sabha calls upon the Central Government, J&K Administration, and all concerned authorities to act decisively before more lives, heritage, and livelihoods are lost forever.
In the end, Charak appealed to all political parties and leaders, including MPs, Ministers, MLAs and voices from every walk of life, to rise above differences, come together, deliberate on these pressing issues, and collectively work towards meaningful solutions. Prominent among those present were Adv. Gambhir Dev, Singh, Adv. H C Jalmaria, G A Khwaja, Dr. Arvinder Singh Amn, Brig. M S Jamwal, Col. Dr. Virendra K Sahi VrC, Amanat Ali Shah and others.
Issued in the urgent interest of the people of Jammu Province.
Dogra Sadar Sabha, Jammu & Kashmir.
Note: The members also prayed to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji for resting the noble souls in peace and granting courage and fortitude to the family members of those who lost their lives.