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| As modern means fail, people at helm resort to conventional methods of dewatering | | Government continues to invite sharp criticism from flood affected people | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Sept 26: After miserably failing to dewater the inundated areas of Srinagar city by modern technological means, the state Government is resorting to conventional methods of dewatering thus drawing criticism from the affected people who are all fire against the higher ups.
Ever since the state Government failed to acquire the requisite number of sewerage pumps from Government of India, the people at helm have made breaches at many places so that the flood water moves out. In other words it can be safely said that state Government and its machinery is waiting for the water to move out instead of taking appropriate steps for dewatering in the inundated areas.
Residents of water logged areas like Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh, Ikhrajpora, Bemina, Qamarwari, Firdousabad, Mominabad, Mahrajpora, Bonpora, Mehjoor Nagar and Padshahi Bagh told Early Times that state Government has pressed few pumps to discharge the water from the inundated areas. The residents alleged that Government believes in lip service rather than real action.
"It has been three weeks since our area got inundated due to flood, but still then the state Government seems to be in slumber. The higher ups are making claims that dewatering is going at a full pace while as truth of matter it is going on at a snail's pace and it would take weeks together to make the areas free from flood," said Feroz Ahmad, a resident of Bemina.
Feroz said that Bemina area that is too densely populated has been discriminated since very few pumps have been pressed into service for dewatering. He said the dewatering is being done through the pumps installed by the department of Fire & Emergency Services that too are inadequate given the extent of the area.
"Four to five high powered dewatering pumps have been used for dewatering some localities in areas like Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh. Majority of the localities in these two areas along with the other affected areas have been left to the mercy of the Almighty Allah. There is no Government visible on the ground and it is pity for them to make tall claims," said Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Ikhrajpora.
It has been observed that four to five feet water continues to be present in the localities of Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Bemina, Qamarwari and the other inundated areas. The continuous presence of the water poses a threat to the houses that are upright in these areas. The water may loosen the soil beneath the houses and there are apprehensions that many more houses may crumble.
"The soil beneath a house becomes loose after the water remains in it for a long time. This results into the shaking of the foundation and as such there are chances that the house may crumble anytime. If God forbid that happens then there may be more casualties and who will be responsible for this negligence. Obviously the Government has to be held responsible as they cannot escape from their responsibility," said Mohammad Imran, a resident of Rajbagh.
It would be in place to mention here that thousands of houses have been razed to ground following the recent flood in Srinagar and many other districts of Kashmir valley. The divisional administration has not learnt any lesson from this tragedy. It is due to this reason that they are resorting to delaying tactics in dewatering of the flood affected areas. |
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