People's Democracy

NATURE’S FURY IN KASHMIR

Crying Need To Step Up Relief Effort

O N Trisal

IT may take few more days to assess, more accurately, the full magnitude of the human tragedy that struck on the morning of October 8, when several parts of Jammu and Kashmir state (especially Baramulla-Uri, and Kupwara districts), along with Pakistan controlled Kashmir and Afghanistan fell victim to the nature’s fury. It is reported that the massive earthquake, measuring 7.6 on Richter scale, with its epicenter in the Hindu Kush Mountains was severest during the last 120 years.

Till the time of writing this on the morning of October 12, the death toll of the earthquake victims in Jammu and Kashmir state is reported to have crossed 1000 mark, with the frontier districts of Baramulla and Kupwara recording the highest number of deaths. The dead includes 108 army men and porters. The number of injured has been put at 2413 in the entire state while the number of damaged houses is 4597. The causality figures are likely to register an increase as the evacuation process is still on, even as some areas in Tangdar and Uri are still unreachable.

According to the state chief secretary, the worst hit are the frontier areas of Uri and Tangdar where majority of the population has been rendered homeless. According to him 733 deaths have occurred in Kashmir (469 in Baramulla, 258 in Kupwara, six in Srinagar, one in Budgam, 10 in Poonch, three in Doda, three in Udhampur and one in Jammu districts). The break-up of the injured is 2323 in valley and 90 in Jammu province. Out of the damaged houses numbering 4597 in the state, 4071 are in Kashmir region and 526 in Jammu. Majority of people in Uri and Tangdar have been rendered homeless. According to the reports, certain affected villages in the area are feared to have been ‘wiped out’ and uncounted people are reportedly buried under the rubble, even after more than three days after tragedy struck. It was revealed that Karnah and adjoining villages are yet to be explored by the relief and rescue operation teams, though huge loss is feared to have been inflicted to life and property there.

WINTER THREAT

It needs to be stated here that the areas, where the adverse effects of the earthquake are the worst – Tangdar, Uri, Kupwara – are basically hilly areas with mostly uncultivable and non-productive lands. They are among the most backward areas in the state. Karnah, Keran remain virtually cut-off from the rest of the state and the apology of the roads leading to these isolated areas remain officially close for traffic during over six month long winter period. In these areas are uncounted civilians under the debris whose fate is still unknown. In the ensuing winter months, when the temperature falls to below freezing point, the fate that hangs upon the homeless people of these areas can well be imagined. Apart from long-term measures to provide houses and other essential items for the surviving civilians in these areas, there is an immediate necessity to arrange for warm clothing, including kambals, blankets and tents immediately for their bare existence. Presently, the people are forced to live under the open sky and with each passing day, the shivering cold nights may not allow even this. Besides shelter, the thousands of families facing the chilly season will require food, clothing, medicines, healthcare and other necessities and this cannot wait any longer.

CPI(M) RELIEF EFFORTS

The Jammu and Kashmir state committee of the CPI(M) expressed its deep shock and grief over the human misery resulting from the devastating earthquake. It appealed for immediate steps on a war footing for rescue and relief operations. On the very next day of the tragedy, October 9, a team of Party members under the leadership of M Y Tarigami, the state secretary, visited Uri and took stock of the situation, after holding discussion with the people there. The central committee of the CPI(M) has announced a relief worth Rs 10 lakhs for aid to the victims.

As the reports about death and destruction from Tangdar reached the state capital, Tarigami along with others visited Tangdar on October 10, where a large number of victims narrated their tales of woes. It transpired that relief was yet to reach these areas. Although the topography and roadblocks pose formidable hindrances to reach these areas, the fact remains that the state machinery will have to exert much more to cope up with the situation. The adversely-affected people at various places in Kupwara and Baramulla districts vigorously complained to the state CPI(M) team that the state machinery had yet to reach out to the vast areas of destruction for relief and rescue work. The people also expressed apprehensions about leakages in the disposal of the relief material to the deserving.

The state committee of the CPI(M), after taking serious note of the entire situation pleaded that transparency and accountability must inform every step of rehabilitation operations. Firstly, these should be an accurate and proper assessment of the losses caused, whether of human lives, injuries or property. This exercise needs to be undertaken in a transparent manner by the state agencies, effectively monitored by district-level committees which should include representatives of political parties, respected personages and the elders. The assessment of the damage, so made, needs to be widely publicised so as to reach the ordinary people. Secondly, whatever material for disbursement reaches, should also be widely publicised, so that every one is made fully aware of the total quantum of available relief. Thirdly, the disbursements must be executed through village agencies, again, monitored by the committees at the village level. Fourthly, every care should be taken to ensure fullest participation and cooperation of the people, in the disbursement of the relief material, failing which inter-group rivalries are bound to crop-up. In order to avoid such an ugly situation, transparency at every level needs to be maintained. Fifthly, relief measures should not be confined to mere accessible areas. Vigorous efforts need to be made to reach out to earthquake victims even in the inaccessible areas.

The state committee of the CPI(M) laid a great emphasis on regular publication and open announcement of disbursement of relief material at every stage. The committee expressed its concern that in view of the colossal human tragedy, the task of rehabilitation posed a great challenge, but at the same time expressed the hope that the people of the state will rise to the occasion and all shades of opinion would participate in the task. It demanded early arrival of aid as the biting cold season had already set in and the lives of innumerable families in many areas were on the verge of collapse. The state committee expressed its deep sympathy and solidarity with the people of Pakistan who have fallen victim to the same tragedy, of course on a still wider scale at the same hour of the clock. Whatever the national frontiers or the dividing lines, the humanity, as one, must face the natural disaster unitedly with courage and fortitude.

While concluding, it needs to be stated that the state unit of the CPI(M) is gearing up to contribute its little bit towards a daunting task of relief and rehabilitation of quake victims and for this purpose initiate a process of shaping of suitable teams to proceed to the spots and join the rehabilitation operations.