Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 20: Although the Administration claimed to have expedited the process of relief and rehabilitation in the State, a large number of families from various parts of Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch besides some mountainous areas of Udhampur are still sitting in the open with a hope of getting shelter.
Two weeks have passed in the wait of getting a tent or a temporary shelter from the Government side, but they are still left high and dry. While the respective District Administrations claim that they have shortage of tents but many people are there who have lost their houses fully are still without blankets, utensils or even ration as announced by the Government.
While the `self- proclaimed’ publicity is more in some parts of the region but on ground the situation is quite different in many remote areas. There is much more to be done for the people who lost their houses and everything under debris. Just a single blanket, a plastic sheet as `shelter’ and few kilogram ration, air dropped for them in remote areas is not enough. Due to lack of coordination and snapping of communication link, families of many remote areas are still without any assistance or relief from the Government. Even after restoration of link to some cut off areas the pace of distribution of relief and the rehabilitation of the affected families is very slow.
The Sapranchs and Numberdars from these affected villages have alleged that the prime focus of the Government has been in Kashmir valley, therefore, the relief and rehabilitation work in hilly areas of Jammu region has been put on the halt and the hapless affected villagers have been left on the mercy of God. There is cold during nights in the mountainous areas of Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch and just one blanket for a family as relief is cruel joke with those who lost their everything in the house collapse incidents.
Reports from remote areas of Reasi including Mahore, Gulabgarh, Bhamag, Sungari-Chasana, Thakrakote said that about 600 families are still without tents, blankets, clothes, utensils, adequate ration and other items of daily use. Many families are either sitting in Govt Schools, their verandas, Panchayat Ghars while many still in the open by just erecting plastic sheets. Villagers from Mallas, Kounser (Mahore), Sarore Kot and Surjan Dhar (Bhamag), Satoi Dhar Tot (Thakrakote), Ishni Deval and Gulabgarh are short of ration and relief material. Majority of the people were not provided tents and they are forced to live in the open. The condition of Govt School buildings is also dilapidated and many of them are living in the open Verandas as the space to accommodate these families is not enough in many schools. Many of them needed immediate Medical help while there is severe shortage of Medical and Para Medical staff. These people have even not received free ration as announced by Government.
Assistant Commissioner, Revenue Reasi Tilak Raj and Tehsildar In-charge Relief Rajesh Baru when contacted said that so far 50 tents and 50 Tarpaulin sheets have been received by the Administration and they stood distributed among the affected families. There is still need of at least 1500 small and large tents to provide shelter to the affected people of Reasi district besides over 3000 blankets. They admitted that nearly 600-700 people of the remote areas of the district are needed to be rehabilitated at war footing. Due to paucity of relief material, they could not be provided adequate ration and other material. CAPD ration is being dispatched to many far flung areas and the free ration is being provided.
Replying to another question the AC Revenue said that till now 494 quintal free ration has been provided to the affected families of Reasi district through choppers, 400 qtls by road while 13,325 qtls of ration has been dispatched to various Ration depots through trucks. The process of distribution has started. Nearly 1000 bankets from Red Cross side have also been distributed besides 200 sets of kitchen utensils, 100 buckets and 100 towels. But they admitted that the material is not adequate for a large number of people turned homeless. “Their cry is genuine and we are trying to do our best to reach up to the maximum number of people,” they added.
Reports from many remote areas of Rajouri have said that with the slow pace of relief and rehabilitation work in the entire district, the rain and flood affected people many far-flung areas were still waiting for tents and blankets besides ration and other items. Even many families have denied air-dropping of ration in their hamlets / villages by the Administration. While the officials in the Administration said that it was not technically feasible for the IAF aircrafts to identify each village and air-drop ration, even though many identified areas of the district were covered.
Sarpanch Goonda area of Khawas Kesar Din alleged that Revenue officials who visited the area asked the affected families to get free ration from the concerned Govt ration depot but the dealer Chamail Singh was not issuing the same to the families. He said about twenty families are sitting in three adjoining Primary and a Middle School but the space is not enough for them. No tents and blankets have been provided to them. Small kits were air-dropped in some areas and many of them were torn and ration spread on the ground. He said Abdul Wahid, Talib Hussain and three other villagers have totally lost their houses and everything but they are still without any help from Government. Locals were providing them assistance. The study of the children has also been affected as affected families have occupied schools.
Even many of them were keeping their cattle in the schools.
Another Sarpanch Shanker Dass said that four families of Pushpa Devi widow of Chain Singh, Santosh Devi ( widow), Machhar Singh and Baldev Singh are taking shelter in Primary School. They lost everything in house collapse and they are also waiting for any help. He said about 35 families of the area in Khawas are still high and dry and needed tents and blankets besides ration and healthcare facilities. For the last over 15 days they are waiting for Govt assistance. He said about half a dozen schools of the area have been occupied and the studies of the children is being affected. Four families have taken refuge in the Bakerwal huts as no tarpaulin or tents have been given to them. About 10 kms road from Kotranka ( Khawas to Gonda) is yet to be cleared by R&B as many slides have snapped road link. At Azmatabad Thanna Mandi, Maniyal Galla, several families are shelterless or living in the verandas of schools.
Similarly, in about half a dozen villages of Balakote in Poonch including Fambra Nad, Upper Niaka Majari, Deri Dabsi, Galuta, Basuni etc over fifteen families are taking shelter in schools and Panchayat Ghar or are in the open. There are no tents and blankets besides ration to these hapless people. At Darati and Langiot in Balakote there are 18 families in Govt school which has been closed for children. A total 130 tents were provided to Mendhar area but over 350 families have turned homeless in the sub division. The SDM Ramesh Kumar says that they do not have enough tents for providing to each family and they have requested the District Administration to rush more relief material and tents. In many areas of Surankote similar reports have been received. The people either do not have tents or been provided thin plastic sheets as shelter and hardly one or two blanket per family.
Sarpanch Shajru Abdul Hamid said there are nearly 2000 people in Mallas in Mahore and adjoining hamlets who have turned home less after landslide incident. There is Army camp about 25 kms away from the affected area, the jawans reached there after tragedy and rendered some help but the Administration is still missing. They need immediate help like tents, blankets, food and utensils. He alleged that people in this area are facing crisis for want of help. In Loran, Khet, Saujian and Bafliaz area of Poonch massive damage has been caused to the houses and public, but there is no much help from the Administration. There is also shortage of ration and kerosene oil. Similar reports have received from Mohu Mangat and Pogal Paristan area of Ramban and many other remote areas of Chenani, Basantgarh and Dudu in Ramnagar.
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