Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 5: Even five days after the earthquake caused massive devastation in the erstwhile Doda district, the affected population has not been provided any major relief by the State Government leading to resentment among the people as well as their representatives. In the meantime, situation compounded further due to the fresh tremors for the 5th consecutive day today and the rainfall, prompting the local administration to announce closure of the Government as well as private educational institutions for two more days.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that as per the reports poured in from all the earthquake affected areas of erstwhile Doda district particularly Doda and Kishtwar a total of 10,000 tents are required for providing shelter to the people, who are reluctant to return to their houses in view of cracks and continuous tremors for the 5th consecutive day today.
However, the State Government has provided only 150 tents till date leading to resentment among the affected populace as well as their elected representatives including MLAs, Sarpanchs and Panchs, sources said.
“Till date majority of the affected population was spending day and night in the open but the same option got snatched following the rains today”, reports said, adding “due to this the resentment among the people crossed all barriers and now they have openly started cursing the State Government for being mute spectator to their grievances”.
“Following the natural calamity it has become an established fact that State Government is discriminating with the Chenab valley region because of obvious reasons”, some of the affected people told the EXCELSIOR on telephone from the Doda district.
“As per the latest reports reached from different parts of Doda and Kishtwar districts a total of 10,000 tents are required to provide shelter to the tremors affected people but the Government has been able to provide only 150 tents since May 1 when the earthquake caused massive destruction in the erstwhile Doda district”, sources said.
Pointing towards the announcement of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad, sources said, “though Mr Azad has been kind enough to announce assistance of 1000 tents from the Union Government, the same is not going to meet the requirement as despite this assistance there is shortfall of about 9000 tents”, adding “how the people, who are fearing to return to their houses due to wide cracks and continuous tremors, would be able to spend their lives without any assistance from the State Government, remains a million dollar question “.
According to the sources, Deputy Commissioner Doda, Mubarak Singh today formally made a requisition of around 9,000 tents to the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pradeep Gupta, so that earthquake affected populace could get safe shelter.
“However, it is not known whether the Government would be able to meet the requirement that too within shortest possible time”, sources said.
They disclosed that keeping in view the prevailing situation the Doda district administration today announced closure of Government as well as private educational institutions for two more days. “The parents are also reluctant to send their wards to the schools especially when majority of the educational institutions have developed cracks”, sources said.
Meanwhile, fresh tremor of 3.5 magnitude rocked the Doda and Kishtwar districts this morning.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, slight intensity earthquake hit Doda and Kishtwar districts at 10.9 am. “The epicenter of earthquake was in Bhaderwah area”, the IMD said.
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