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Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad integral part of India, our duty to look after its people: J&K IMD director
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has included regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad as part of its Jammu and Kashmir meteorological sub-division
After the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has included regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad as part of its Jammu and Kashmir meteorological sub-division, director of J&K IMD Sonum Lotus said, “Since they are our people, we should look after their concerns.”
Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad are territories currently under Pakistani occupation.
In February 1994, the Parliament passed a unanimous resolution, which stated: “the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and shall be an integral part of India and any attempts to separate it from the rest of the country will be resisted by all necessary means; and that Pakistan must vacate the areas of the Indian state of J&K, which they have occupied through aggression; and resolves that all attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of India will be met resolutely.”
Sonum said that media should disseminate information of IMD weather forecasts for the people in Pak occupied Kashmir and they, for now, can log on to IMD’s website https://mausam.imd.gov.in/ for daily weather forecasts.
He, however, said that there was nothing “new” and “surprising” in weather forecasts for the Pak occupied Kashmir.
“There is nothing new. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh entirety belong to India and we are doing it for our people including those from Gilgit- Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad following the reorganisation of the state of J&K”, he added.
“While the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad will get updates on the IMD website to keep them abreast with weather forecasts, we may also ensure that their representatives get the weather forecast on their mails in the near future. This is the beginning. Let’s see how the government wants to go further,” he said.
The official said that the basic purpose of including these areas in its Jammu and Kashmir meteorological sub-division is because “people in these regions are our people and it is our responsibility to look after their concerns.”
Lotus said that following the reorganisation of the J&K into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, it was decided to include these areas under the Ladakh region.
