J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Relief must reach before winter
Jammu, October 11
While rescue teams of the Army and the civil administration are yet to reach about a dozen earthquake-devastated villages in the Tangdhar area, what is worrying the victims now is the fast approaching winter when snow would cut off most of the area.

A woman holds her injured child outside a hospital in Karnah, near the LoC, in Kashmir on Tuesday. — Reuters photo

Sonia assures Gujjars
Jammu, October 11
The Chairperson of the UPA, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has assured of the leaders of Gujjar and Bakkarwal Conference that the Government of India would examine their problems and take in hand measures to mitigate their sufferings.

Epidemic threat looms large
Tangdhar, October 11
As rescue workers struggle to remove the rubble and search for the dead and the survivors in the quake-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir, the threat of epidemic looms large with several hundred decaying bodies still under the debris.

Army makes floating bridge over Chenab
Jammu, October 11
The Army has constructed a floating bridge across the Chenab for vehicles carrying food and other items to the quake-hit Poonch district as a pre-stressed cable in a steel bridge at Akhnoor was snapped due to the October 8 tremors.

Congress leader escapes bid on life
Srinagar, October 11
Senior Congress leader and municipal councillor from Shopian Mohammad Shafi Bhandey, today escaped a bid on his life when militants attacked his motorcade in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing his driver and seriously injuring his security guard, official sources said.

Relief must reach before winter
S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 11
While rescue teams of the Army and the civil administration are yet to reach about a dozen earthquake-devastated villages in the Tangdhar area, what is worrying the victims now is the fast approaching winter when snow would cut off most of the area.

The Army and the IAF have been trying to reach the village, but bad weather has been a hindrance. Landslides have blocked most of the roads and there are no helipads where big helicopters could land.

Reports indicate that about 4,000 houses have been badly damaged while the exact number of casualties is yet to come. The number of dead is increasing day by day as the rescue teams are marching ahead. The figure has crossed 1,000 so far.

The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, is worried that the problems would get compounded once snow cut off the Tangdhar area for six months. His priority is not only to expedite relief and rescue operations, but also get new dwellings constructed for the victims.

It is only the Army that has reached the far-flung villages while officials of the civil administration are nowhere to be seen. Residents of the villages are critical of the state government. Residents of Poonch, that has suffered extensive damage, are not satisfied with the attitude of the administration and point out that it was only the Army that is providing relief to them.

Meanwhile, with 27 aftershocks having been experienced so far, people hesitate to go indoors even during night. Some of the aftershocks were over five on the Richter scale.

Mr B.L. Dhar, head of the Geology Department, Jammu University, said experts of Wadia Institute had recommended that Jammu should be put in the seismic zone V from its present status of zone IV as it was sandwiched between Srinagar and Chamba which were in zone V.

Environmentalists have expressed concern over the uncontrolled and haphazard constructions in and around Jammu, which is located on a boulder bed and not hard rock. Mr Dhar described it as a “highly seismic volatile area”.

Many buildings, particularly in the old city are like skyscrapers that have been built without the permission of the municipal authorities.

Sonia assures Gujjars
Our Correspondent

Jammu, October 11
The Chairperson of the UPA, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has assured of the leaders of Gujjar and Bakkarwal Conference that the Government of India would examine their problems and take in hand measures to mitigate their sufferings.

Haji Bulan Khan, who along with a group of Gujjar leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, called on Ms Sonia Gandhi in Delhi today submitted a memorandum giving details of the raw deal being given to the ethnic groups for the past 58 years.

Mr Khan informed the AICC president that neither the state nor the central Government had initiated measures for reserving seats for the Gujjars and Bakkarwals, whose population in the state had touched 25 lakh, in the legislature and in Parliament when four lakh people belonging to the Scheduled Caste had four seats reserved in the state Assembly.

The Gujjar and Bakkarwal Conference leaders also demanded raising of a Gujjar regiment in the Army and a special recruitment drive for the ethnic community in the paramilitary forces. Haji Buland Khan said that Ms Gandhi gave a patient hearing to their demands which included suitable measures for the rehabilitation of the ethnic people so that they were no longer forced to live in huts and shanties.

He claimed that the UPA chairperson assured them that the government would review demands of Gujjars and Bakkarwals which included the demand for a fresh census so that proper enumeration of Gujjars and Bakkarwals was carried out.

Mr Khan said that the Conference leaders had also requested Ms Sonia Gandhi for taking up with the Pakistan government the need for reopening of more routes including the one from Poonch and Suchetgarh in Jammu for travel and trade with Pakistan and occupied Kashmir. He said “we also demanded a hassle-free contact among the people living on either side of the LoC.”

He said that Ms Gandhi had assured them that measures would be initiated for improving the lot of Gujjars and Bakkarwals who had demonstrated patriotic sentiments despite severe odds.

Epidemic threat looms large

Tangdhar, October 11
As rescue workers struggle to remove the rubble and search for the dead and the survivors in the quake-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir, the threat of epidemic looms large with several hundred decaying bodies still under the debris.

Health officials, on condition of anonymity, said they feared the worst was yet to come with chances that the added disaster of an epidemic would catch them unprepared.

“We don’t have the medicines to check the spread of epidemic, if there is an outbreak. It would be difficult to control the spread of disease,’’ said an official.

He said bad weather and incessant rains may aggravate the situation as it becomes difficult to pull out bodies from the mounds of rubble.

“Decaying corpses lying scattered spread disease. We are working overtime to remove the bodies and give them a decent burial,’’ the health official said.

However, Deputy Commissioner Karnah Abdul Majid Khanday ruled out the possibility of any outbreak of disease.

“There is no fear of outbreak of epidemic. We are fully prepared for any eventuality,’’ he added. Mr Khanday said the water supply would be restored latest by tomorrow. — UNI

Army makes floating bridge over Chenab

Jammu, October 11
The Army has constructed a floating bridge across the Chenab for vehicles carrying food and other items to the quake-hit Poonch district as a pre-stressed cable in a steel bridge at Akhnoor was snapped due to the October 8 tremors.

The bridge was declared open to the public today by Major-Gen Bikram Singh of the Crossed Swords Division which has constructed the bridge.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said the vehicles loaded with articles weighing 12 tonnes and below would be allowed to use the steel bridge while those carrying articles weighing over 12 tonnes would use the floating bridge. — UNI

Congress leader escapes bid on life

Srinagar, October 11
Senior Congress leader and municipal councillor from Shopian Mohammad Shafi Bhandey, today escaped a bid on his life when militants attacked his motorcade in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing his driver and seriously injuring his security guard, official sources said.

A group of militants fired indiscriminately on his vehicle at Gaberpora village at around 12.15 pm when he was on his way to Srinagar, the sources said.

While he escaped unhurt, his driver Mohammad Iqbal and personal security officer Bashir Ahmad were critically injured. Iqbal succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, eight Pakistani militants were killed by the Army today as it foiled a second infiltration bid from across the border since the earthquake struck Jammu and Kashmir on October 8, a defence spokesman said.

The militants, were killed in the Nowgam sector of Kupwara district in a fierce gunbattle which erupted last night.

Five AK assault rifles, two pistols and a large quantity of ammunition and explosives were recovered from the killed ultras, the spokesman said.

The security forces arrested an Al-Badr militant, busted two hideouts and seized a large number of arms and explosives, including 7 kg of RDX since last night.

The militant was arrested by the security forces from the Dangiwacha area of Baramula district last night. — PTI