*MoS Home conducts aerial survey; schools to remain closed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 2: Fresh tremors were felt in the Doda and Kishtwar districts early this morning resulting into further panic among the people. However, there were no reports of loss of life or fresh damage to the property. In the meantime, the people continued to be in the grip of fear psychosis and in view of this the Government has announced that all the schools in the erstwhile Doda district will remain closed tomorrow also and announcements are being made cautioning people not to lend ear to the rumors regarding earthquakes.
In order to take stock of the situation arisen due to earthquake, the Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo along with Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Pradeep Gupta and Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Rakesh Kumar conducted aerial survey of the affected areas and even interacted with large number of people at various locations.
Reports said that fresh earthquake albeit of less intensity as compared to yesterday’s tremors, hit Doda and Kishtwar districts at around 6 am today triggering further panic among the people, who were already finding it difficult to come out of the fear psychosis since May 1 afternoon and had spent night in the open due to the fear of tremors. However, there was no report of any casualty or injury from any part of these districts.
“I too felt the tremors at 6 am and immediately came out in the open”, Deputy Commissioner Doda, Mubarak Singh, said when contacted, adding “though some people were saying that even aftershocks of lesser intensity were felt thereafter but I can’t say anything with authenticity about this aspect”.
Reports said that majority of the people, whose houses developed cracks following yesterday’s earthquake particularly in Gandoh and Bhaderwah areas, spent night in open or in the safe premises. Some of them were even seen putting up in the premises of religious places. Though they might have returned to their houses after the sunrise but the low intensity tremors in the early morning kept them in the complete grip of fear psychosis and prevented them from returning.
What further added to the fear psychosis were the rumors of more earthquakes prompting the district administration to issue directions to the block level officials to caution people against lending ear to the rumors and return to their houses. The school going children, particularly of those educational institutions, which developed cracks due to tremors, were more frightened.
Keeping in view the damages suffered by the schools and the fear psychosis among the students community, the administration has announced holiday in Government as well as private educational institutions tomorrow also and future course of action would be decided tomorrow evening after assessing the situation.
Meanwhile, the cracks in the recently constructed Sub-District Hospital Bhaderwah exposed the tall claims of the Government about using quake-resistant technology in the Government buildings especially after October 2005 massive earthquake, which caused massive death and destruction in several parts of the State.
“There are standing instructions about use of quake resistant technology in the construction of Government buildings but whether these instructions were strictly adhered to by the concerned agency is a million dollar question especially when the newly built building developed cracks”, sources said, adding “this was also noticed by the Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo during his visit to the hospital along with Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Pradeep Gupta and Inspector General of Police, Rajesh Kumar”.
“The MoS Home has directed that this aspect vis-à-vis SDH Bhaderwah building has to be looked into seriously and stern action taken against the guilty officers”, sources said, adding “the Minister even expressed apprehension over the use of sub-standard material in the construction of building”.
The MoS Home accompanied by Divisional Commissioner and IGP also visited various areas of Bhaderwah town, Gandoh, Kishtwar and Palmar on foot and interacted with the people in order to convey them that entire Government machinery was with them in the hour of need. They also visited District Hospital Kishtwar and interacted with the injured persons.
Later, Mr Kichloo also had aerial survey of earthquake affected areas to assess the intensity of damage caused by the natural calamity. He also convened a meeting of the District and Sectoral Officers and issued directions for ensuring every possible assistance to the earthquake affected people and working out of damages.
An amount of Rs 5,000 was provided to each injured under Red Cross Fund while as directions were issued for processing cases under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) after Panchayat wise assessment of damages.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu said, “we have constituted block level teams for the assessment of damages and the entire exercise will be completed within a period of 10 days”, adding “on the directions of Chief Secretary, the heads of various departments have also been camping in Doda district to ensure early completion of damage assessment exercise”.
“Adequate number of tents have been made available for those families whose houses are unsafe”, Mr Gupta said, adding “even SDRF teams of State Police have been camping in the affected areas to provide assistance to the earthquake affected people”.
In response to a question, he said that out of nearly 80 people suffered injuries in the earthquake only 10 were in the hospitals today and remaining discharged after improvement in their condition. Of these 10 injured, four are in District Hospital Kishtwar, two in Sub-District Hospital Bhaderwah, three in District Hospital Doda and one in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
The Divisional Commissioner disclosed that in order to ensure safe evacuation of the students from the schools during the earthquake, which was not witnessed in Doda and Kishtwar during yesterday’s natural calamity, he has decided to convene training camp for the teachers of Government schools in near future.
“Five or two teachers from each block would be trained in safe evacuation of students during disasters and they would be deputed for providing training to other teachers in their respective Zones”, he said, adding “no proper evacuation of students following yesterday’s natural calamity was witnessed in any of the Government schools in erstwhile Doda district”.
Meanwhile, reports from Ramban district said that six schools developed cracks in Gool, 14 schools and 3 Panchayat Ghars in Ramban, 21 schools in Batote and 18 schools in Banihal besides an office of IRCON India International Ltd.
Minister of State for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan today directed health functionaries to remain stationed and vigilant at place of postings and ensure all possible treatment facilities to those injured in earthquake.
He has directed Director Health Services to remain stationed at Doda to ensure timely medicare facilities to all injured free of cost. He impressed upon the medicos and para-medicos that no injured person should face any inconvenience on account of treatment in the hospitals.
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