news details |
|
|
| Delays loss assessment report; one month on, affected people yet to get interim relief | | Omar Govt maintains 'criminal silence' over future of flood victims | | Fazal Khan
SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Omar Abdullah led Government maintaining suspense over its future course of action about how it's going to rehabilitate the flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir is making affected people believe that no one is going to come forward to help them.
Sources told Early Times that more than 5000 structures have collapsed across Kashmir and people are waiting for the Government to announce its future course of action. "Exactly one month has elapsed since the floods hit Kashmir but Government seems to be in a deep slumber as we are not aware about whether some assistance would be provided to us or not," said Parvaiz Ahmed of Jawahar Nagar who was rendered homeless after the recent floods.
Soon after the floods struck and Government appeared Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that people who have lost their houses would get Rs 75000 as interim relief. A few days after the Chief Minister's announcement a Government issued an order stating that the people whose Kucha houses have collapsed would get Rs 17,600 and the owners of the concrete structures would get Rs 70,000.
Sources said mostly Kucha houses have collapsed and the owners of such structures won't get more than Rs 17, 600. "Omar's announcement about all the victims getting Rs 75,000 as interim relief has remained confined to papers only. He has again failed to live upto the expectations of the people," said Khurshid Ahmed of Rajbagh.
People are questioning what they term as "criminal silence" of the State Government. "No one is coming clear on what is going to happen. We have to clean the rubble of our devastated homes. We cannot wait for the officials for months to come and assess the damage," Ahmed added.
Sources said that Centre Government showing keenness to handle the rehabilitation measures on its own is making the State Government feel insecure. "People at the helm have started believing that they are being sidelined. None of the Ministers have issued any statement vis-a-vis rehabilitation of the victims due to political reasons. It seems everyone is playing politics over the issue," said a source.
He said the officials cannot go ahead till they get the clearance from their top bosses. "If State Government fails to act there is every possibility of victims taking to streets and staging protests. Separatists too are waiting for a chance," the source added.
Pertinently, during the past 10-days people staged protests at many places demanding free ration and some relief which is not coming. The resentment against the State Government is brewing and situation can flare up if immediate steps are not taken to reach out to the victims.
A source said that during the past one month Centre has sent numerous reminders to the state to forward the damage assessment report. In one month three Union Ministers have visited the state to take the stock of the situation but till date Centre's package for the flood hit JK has not been announced.
"It seems State Government is purposely delaying the assessment report. It (State Government) is trying to give an impression that Centre is not interested in rehabilitating the victims. It looks a conspiracy aimed at maligning the image of the BJP ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections," said a senior BJP leader from Kashmir.
He claimed that State Government is creating confusion for gaining political mileage as elections are coming closer. "If state doesn't cooperate with Centre then harsh decisions like imposing Governor's rule in JK cannot be ruled out," the leader added. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
