Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 6: A young woman and her little daughter were killed and five others injured as a wall collapsed in slum area of Nanak Nagar near Jammu city during rain in the morning, four Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims were injured in a land slide near Hemkoti on Trikuta hills track in Katra while heavy rain and flash flood caused heavy damage to the houses, roads and standing crops in Jammu and Samba districts today.
The intensity of rain for about two hours between 4 am and 6 am was so high that lanes and roads were over flooded. Many nullahs in almost all the localities of Jammu city caused havoc and flooded water entered many houses, shops and godowns. Many parked vehicles in Nanak Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, Preet Nagar, Gangyal, Sunjuwan, Narwal, Canal Road, Jewel Chowk and Nehru Market were damaged due to flash flood water.
As it was raining heavily, a wall in slum area just behind Jain Temple and Jhelum Resort, near Zorawar Singh Chowk falling under Nanak Nagar collapsed and it fell on a Jhuggi. A woman and her 6-month old daughter were buried alive under it while sleeping and were killed on the spot. Her husband survived with minor injuries. They were identified as 22-year-old Parvati, wife of Santosh Kumar, resident of Chhaterpur (MP), at present Zorawar Singh Chowk Nanak Nagar. Four other persons injured in the wall collapse in the adjoining jhuggi, were identified as Chandan Malla and his wife Lakshmi and their two children Kiran (7) and Nitish Kumar (4), residents of Bihar.
As most of the nullahs of the Jammu city were not cleared by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JM) and UEED this time before the onset of rainy season, the people have been facing much damages due to negligence on the part of these agencies. There is strong resentment among the people of these affected localities of Jammu against the officials of these agencies and the criminal negligence on their part.
Irate residents of Sanjay Nagar near Satwari held strong protest against the Dy Chief Minister (Minister incharge Housing and Urban Development) Dr Nirmal Singh and Commissioner JMC and also blocked road for about an hour this morning. They shouted slogans and alleged that due to criminal negligence on the part of UEED and JMC they have suffered heavy damages.
Another strong protest was held at Gangyal where people blocked National Highway for about one and half hours and disrupted movement of traffic. Massive traffic jam was caused there. SP South and SDM Gangyal besides ex-MLA Raman Bhalla rushed there and pacified the people and only then the traffic was restored. The people shouted slogans against JMC authorities and alleged that due to failure to ensure proper de-silting of nullahs this problem has been caused. They said that property worth crores of the people got damaged as the flood water entered their houses and shops.
The flash flood caused havoc in 14, 4,5,7 & 8 Sectors of Nanak Nagar as many nullahs were flowing in the lanes and roads. There was 3 to 4 feet water in many localities and water entered many houses and shops causing damages to their electronic gadgets and other household items. Their vehicles were also under water and got damaged. Similar was the condition in Shastri Nagar and Sanjay Nagar and Satwari besides Canal Road and Krishna Nagar.
In the house of one Chaman Lal at House No. 15-B of Nanak Nagar there was nearly 4 feet water while in house No. 317 Sector 14 of one Inderjeet, about 3 to 4 feet water was witnessed in the morning. The people woke up as the flood water started entering their houses during early hours and they started running here and there for safety and protecting their property. Dr Ram Darshan of Dogra Lane Shastri Nagar alleged that 2-3 feet water was inside his rooms and most of his goods and other belongings have been badly damaged as they could not find much time to protect. Another adjoining house of Dr Shrikant also suffered damage due to flash flood.
The flood also wrecked havoc in Jalalabad, Sunjuwan, Lower Bathindi, Channi Rama, localities near Bahu Fort besides Lower Roop Nagar, Muthi, Talab Tillo and Mishriwalla area of Jammu. Several houses and walls were damaged due to floods and roads washed away. Even the water over- flooded in the Excelsior Lane of Janipur, Bhawani Nagar Lane, Naseeb Nagar, Shant Nagar and Paloura area. The water caused damage to lanes and roads and also entered many houses.
Reports from Katra said that four Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims were injured when landslides hit the track at Hemkoti on the track. The injured were identified as Sharju Parsad (38), Guddu Jaisawal (34), Anup Kumar (23) and Om Parkash Jaiswal (45), all residents of Palamu in Jharkhand. They were removed to Katra hospital and provided treatment. The yatra was disrupted for about two hours on this track.
Another report from Samba said that due to breach in the bund of river Basantar near Rangoor and Kamore camp the flood water entered in the fields and about five villages got marooned. The flood water also affected three BSF posts in the area and caused damage to standing crop and public property. The Flood Control authorities failed to plug the bund and protect public property. This is third time during this season that water entered these villages of Ramgarh. Former Minister S S Slathia and senior officials from district administration also paid visit to the area to take stock of the situation.
People alleged that Devak and Basantar water has caused damage to their standing crops worth crores and massive soil erosion has taken place. They demanded compensation for the crops damaged. The BSF units have also been badly hit with this breach in the bund, causing major security threat from across the border.
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