Mir Iqbal
ZANGALPORA, KULGAM, Jan 18: The residents of Aarigutnoo, one of the worst affected villages in the district has accused the Government of adopting different yardsticks while addressing their grievances that rose after last year’s devastating floods.
The flood victims accused the Government for rehabilitating “selected” few while neglecting others. “Our village is worst affected habitation among all the five affected habitations in the area, still Government preferred lesser damaged areas and didn’t turn to us,” Farooq Ahmad, a local resident told to Excelsior.
Ahmad said that Zangalpora- a small habitation of some 20 families were relocated to a nearby safer place, while they have been left on the mercy of God.
“We got financial and material help from different quarters, but Government remained almost absent almost all the time in the village,” said Mushtaq Ahmad Naikoo, Chairman Relief Committee, adding, the affected people were expecting that Government would announce safer location for the displaced families.
He said that people here are wary of the stream’s furious waters. “Nobody here wants to re-construct the damaged houses, but wait for Government’s approval for a safer location,” he said.
The villagers said that there are apprehensions that Government might relocate the affected families of Zangalpora hamlet, while as this largest and worst affected village won’t be.
However, Nissar Hussain Wani, Deputy Commissioner Kulgam told Excelsior that the administration has framed a proposal for the relocation of affected families in all the five villages. “All the five villages including, Aarigutnoo, Zangalpora, Kelam Gund, Chamgund and Aeshthal were mentioned in the proposal,” he said.
Hussain also said that compensation was disbursed to the affected families. Medicines, timber, blankets and free ration were also provided to each family in these affected villages.
“We have also sent the proposal to higher authorities for shifting of all the villages to some safer destination. And we are waiting for its response,” he said.
“There is no question of partiality from our side,” he said, adding, in fact those who received maximum relief are now complaining.
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