Nature is benign, nature is cruel. Towards its benignity we mortals pay little attention because we take it for granted. But what about its cruelty? It creates havoc, it is destructive. Primitives were its easy prey and that is why they feared negative forces more than anything else and even began to offer prayers to mollify their ferocity. That is how the pagan culture developed. As human race developed, it learnt that more often than not, the cruel part of nature was uncontrollable because it unleashed its destructive powers with such ferocity as was beyond human comprehension. Looking at it, one begins to believe in the historicity of legendry catastrophes like the Great Flood when Noah took out his Ark.
Three years ago, violent cloud burst struck a part of Leh. Flash flood washed away houses, livestock, crops, roads and everything leaving arable tracts desolate and destroyed. Government functionaries rushed to the site; the then Prime Minister interacted with the victims in person and promised them adequate succour enabling them to restart their lives. Three years have passed by; many of the victims are still unable to overcome the tragedy and trauma. What a terrifying lesson that tragic event meant to the people there.
A couple of days ago, midnight cloud burst in the upper reaches of Gharota area sent down horrendous flash flood that swept a vast swath of plain and low lying areas of Marh, Mishriwalla, Kanha Chak, Kot Bhalwal and Gharota. It took the people and householders by utter surprise for it happened in midnight. In the low lying areas an ocean-like scenario was created with 4 to 6 feet deep water at many places. It entered houses and bed rooms; it brought down scores of them and swept away huts and shops, small factories and private production centres like poultry farms, roadside tea shops or groceries and cowsheds with live animals meeting with fatal end. It damaged standing crops, washed away segments of link roads connecting villages with the Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch National Highway. Flood waters entered one complete locality in Akhnoor town where denizens could hardly manage to escape with their lives leaving their household good to the mercy of flood waters. Damages can be calculated in hundreds of crores of rupees as the area through which the flood water swept is densely populated and fed on fertile and productive land.
Deputy Commissioner of Jammu, and senior revenue and police officers have visited the affected area in person, met with the victims of floods and Sarpanchs and other elderly people and acted with speed to provide some succour in the shape of eatables and utensils to the needy. We appreciate that authorities have taken immediate notice of the tragedy and assured the victims of necessary support without loss of time. Relief has to be provided to the affected people and householders on war footing. Also medical and municipal authorities must be galvanized into immediate action to ensure that no epidemic spreads from standing waters that breed dangerous infection. PWD shall have to be activated immediately to repair the damaged roads and culverts and restore road traffic in the entire belt as early as possible. Health Department should move in to provide basic medical support to the people to overcome water borne diseases in such situations. In fact the Government must announce without delay relief package for the affected people. In the meanwhile, revenue authorities should make complete report of the damages suffered by the people and the extent of relief they would need to rehabilitate themselves to their ordinary course of life. Damages to crops should also be estimated and compensated.
It is reported that bigger damage has happened to the houses that were built on the sides of the nullahs after grabbing the government land. We do not know to what extent it is true. Even if it is true, the onus comes to the doorsteps of the Government or precisely the Revenue Department which should have taken timely action and disallowed construction of houses that would always be vulnerable to inundation. The lesson to be learnt is that the department should make survey of such illegalities and find a solution.
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