Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Sept 14: The Director Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Dr Showkat Ahmad Zargar, today warned that there will be outbreak of waterborne diseases in Kashmir valley on massive scale if immediate measures are not taken.
Zargar told Excelsior that there is imminent threat of waterborne diseases like dysentery, gastroenteritis, typhoid, respiratory problems to the people on massive scale.
The Director said that water needs to be immediately drained out of the flooded water as stagnant water will spread these diseases. “If water is not drained out it would be dangerous and spread diseases”, he said adding “onset of winter will, however, do some damage control”.
Zargar said that dead animals and garbage needs immediate disposal. He said that restoration of water supply will also help to overcome the water borne diseases.
The director said that the hospital received 2194 patients till Saturday and 519 were admitted. He said that hospital received 256 cancer patients who are on chemo and radiotherapy.
Zargar said that rescue operation should have been started from hospitals but it is locals who rescued the patients from various hospitals and brought them to SKIMS Soura for treatment. He said that the hospital received six patients who were airlifted on September 10 and 11.
The Director said that hospital has only 25 percent staff as majority of the doctors and para-medics could not reach the hospital to attend their duties. He said that some of the medical and para-medical staff worked round the clock to treat patients.
Dr Muzaffar Mushtaq, a doctor posted at SKIMS Bemina, is has been working round the clock for past 10 days at SKIMS Soura. Hailing from Pampore, his home is also submerged in flood waters. Dr. Asif, in-charge Emergency has also been working round the clock and his house at Karan Nagar is also under water.
An X-ray technician at SKIMS, Khadim, did around 200 X-rays in 36 hours risking his life due to excessive dose of radiations. The other X-ray staff was trapped in flood waters.
Zargar said that diabetic, patients on dialysis and with liver problems are worst affected by floods. He said that two patients who were on oxygen at their homes were brought in critical condition to SKIMS and they died on reaching hospital.
The Director said they had to amputate leg of Mushtaq Ahmad Gugloo, 35, who had suffered leg fracture in a road accident last week and could not attend OPD on time for dressing and medicines. “He had developed gangrene and was brought to SKIMS in critical condition. We put him on ventilator and he is improving now”, he said.
Zargar said that all water logged hospitals have lost vital equipment and supplies that are mostly stored in ground floor which remained water logged for several days. He said that all waterlogged hospitals lost ventilators.
Large number of doctors and para-medics who could not reach the hospitals were conducting mobile medical camps at various places across Srinagar city and other places to distribute free medicines and treat patients for minor ailments. They were also referring critical patients to hospital.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, who worked round the clock at SKIMS during floods for several days, later joined his fellow colleagues in voluntary work in worst hit Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and Gogjibagh area.
In the meantime, Commissioner Secretary, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Vinod Kaul, told Excelsior that initial estimates suggest that Government infrastructure worth Rs 5-6, 000 crore was damaged in the floods.
Kaul said infrastructure like bridges, roads, hospitals and other Government buildings worth Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore, was damaged. “Last week when Srinagar was not flooded, we made a presentation before the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in which infrastructure damage was pegged at around Rs 1,000 crore.”
Most parts of South Kashmir like Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama were hit by floods in the early days of September, over 60 per cent of Srinagar city was marooned by the rampaging Jhelum on September 7.
Kaul said at least 50 small and big bridges have been damaged by the floods while long stretches of several important roads have been washed away. “We are yet to analyse the damage caused in the last six or seven days,” he said.
Kaul said the banks of the Jhelum were breached at many places and repairs and reinforcement would be needed at these spots to ensure that the flow of water into the city is stopped.
The Commissioner said at present, breaches near Lal Ded Hospital and Khidmat complex on either side of Jhelum are flooding the southern and northern areas of the city, respectively.
Civil Secretariat, High Court complex and Sadar court complex housing the subordinate courts, Accountant General’s Office, SDA complex, Board of School Education, Directorate of Agriculture and Hajj House are some of the prominent buildings which are still under several feet of water.
Kaul said the damage to private infrastructure like residential houses and private commercial buildings is expected to be huge but the real picture would start to emerge once the officials of his department start the loss assessment process.
“Once the flood waters have receded, we will start the damage assessment process. Till then, it would not be right to hazard a guess on the magnitude of the damage to private property,” Kaul said.
In the meantime, Army and NDRF rescued 1.84 lakh persons from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir in the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the flood ravaged State.
Army said that 13 tonnes of water purifying tablets and six water filtration plants with a capacity to filter 1.2 lakh bottles per day has already reached Srinagar.
“Engineering stores including suction pumps from Vishakhapatnam have reached the flood affected area. More heavy duty pumps being airlifted from Jodhpur and Raipur today. Sewage pumps from Delhi have also been dispatched to the Valley”, the statement said.
The statement said: “Thirty generator sets of 3 to 5 KVA capacity have also been sent to Srinagar to augment continuous power supply in relief camps and field hospitals. Additional communication equipment of BSNL are being dispatched to restore the communication systems in the State.”
“8,200 blankets and 1392 tents were provided to the flood victims. 80 medical teams of the Armed Forces Medical Services are already operating in full swing. Four Field Hospitals have been established in Avantipur, Pattan, Anantnag and Old Airfield where medical aid is being provided to the ailing people. Till now they have treated around 51,476 patients. Two additional fully equipped field hospitals with laboratory testing equipment facility have also been established in Srinagar. More relief materials including blankets and tents, water bottles from IRCTC and food packets are being airlifted from Patna, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Amritsar”, Army said.
The Army said 84 transport aircraft and helicopters of Indian Air Force and Army Aviation Corps are continuing their efforts in rescue and relief operations. “Army has deployed around 30,000 troops for rescue and relief operations in the flood affected area. More than 5,08,000 litres of water, 3,10,000 food packets and over 1054 tonnes cooked food have already been airdropped and distributed in the flood-affected areas”, they said.
“So far 2253 sorties were undertaken by the helicopters and aircraft of Armed Forces and 3017 tonnes of relief materials have been dropped by the Indian Air Force. A total of 224 boats of Army and 148 NDRF’s inflatable boats are actively involved in the rescue operation”, the army statement said.
Army said that Armed Forces have also established 19 relief camps in Srinagar and Jammu region. In Srinagar region, camps were established at BB Cantt, Avantipur, Old Airfield, Sumbal, Chattargam and Jijamata Mandir, where thousands of rescued people are being sheltered. They are also being provided with food and other basic amenities.
“To restore the road connectivity, five task forces of Border Roads Organisation, which include 5700 personnel, have been deployed in Srinagar, Rajouri and Akhnoor. As of now, they have restored the road connectivity from Batote – Anantnag and Srinagar – Sonamarg. Srinagar – Baramulla road is now open for light vehicle. On the Jammu – Srinagar highway, BRO personnel have cleared the road up to KM 172 (Ramsu). Work is in progress to clear fresh landslides in areas that were cleared yesterday on this road”, the statement said.
The morning showers in the meantime hampered rescue and relief operations in the submerged areas of Srinagar city.
Rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning lashed Srinagar and other parts of the Valley. The weather had been clear for the past five days after incessant rains led to unprecedented floods in the Valley.
Over one lakh people are still in the marooned area in many parts of Srinagar.
The Chief Secretary of the State M I Khanday today made an appeal to the Government employees to resume their duties.
The rescue and relief operations by the locals is going on massive scale in flood hit area. The community kitchens and temporary shelters are functioning across the city where free food and medicines are being provided to the people.
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