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| Posh Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh turn into lake, remain submerged on 16th day | | Flood Aftermath | | Collapsed, damaged houses remain inaccessible; fear of bodies lying under debris worries locals
Fazal Khan
SRINAGAR, Sept 23: Two posh colonies of Srinagar city, Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh in civil lines are still submerged as water has got trapped in these areas and is refusing to come out. Government has installed pumps to drain out the stagnated water from these areas and through pipes it's being transferred into a nearby flood channel.
Worried residents of these areas for the past 16 days have been sitting on the bund waiting for water levels to recede so that they can reach their homes and see whether their residences are there or water has washed them away.
A few people whose houses have collapsed have already received the information about their world being shattered.
"Had Government kept the boats we could have reached our homes and seen whether anything is left or not," said Farooq Shah who stays behind DAV school in Jawahar Nagar and has heard that his house has collapsed and remains are floating in water.
A few private boats could be seen moving in the flood hit Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh areas. Even on the 16th running day today one could see the first storey of the houses still inundated. Soon after flood waters caused devastation at least 2 stories of the houses were under water.
People whose houses have collapsed ridiculed the State Government's announcement that they would be provided Rs 75000 as compensation to rebuild their houses. "How can we rebuild our houses with such a meager amount," locals asked.
They said it would take at least Rs 50,000 for them to clear the rubble. "We have lost everything. We have no roofs over our heads nor do we have any belongings left. Government announcing just Rs 75000 is adding insult to our injuries," they added.
Soon after the floods struck Government had announced that teams would be sent to assess the losses but till date none of the teams have been able to visit Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh as these areas are still inaccessible. "We were made to believe that Rs 75000 would be provided to us instantly. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has failed to keep up his word as nothing has happened on ground," said Parvaiz Ahmed, whose house has collapsed in Jawahar Nagar.
Both Rajbagh and Jawahar Nagar till the floods hit Kashmir were considered to be the posh areas of the Srinagar city and were fast emerging as commercial centres. However, floods have ravaged both the areas and magnitude of the devastation is huge. May hotels, guest houses and hospitals have suffered extensive damage. After the water is pumped out from these areas then only losses can be calculated.
Locals fear that many people either got buried within the rubble of their collapsed houses or got washed away with the floods. "We don't even know the exact number of people who have died. There is every possibility of many bodies lying under the debris," they added.
Tension is palpable over the faces of people who usually arrive at the bund early in the morning and sit there till dusk waiting helplessly for water to leave their homes. They are hoping that someone would come forward and help them but absence of the officials from the ground has disappointed them. Victims can be seen consoling each other by saying, " All is not lost at least we are alive." |
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