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Connect centre flooded with rescue, relief calls
Work on Bailey bridge gets underway
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Farmers in Chenab basin battle starvation
PDP for coordinated efforts to help flood-affected in state
Rescue over, boats ferry relief in marooned areas
Centre should monitor relief distribution in flood-hit areas: APMCC
DGP tells officers to coordinate with civil admn for helping flood victims
Asaram followers distribute relief
JU announces fresh dates for inter-collegiate tournaments
Shelz launches safest laser hair removal technology in Jammu
‘Hindi Pakhwara’ concludes
Excise guard killed, 3 hurt
Yasin Malik’s arrest sought
ADGP enquires about welfare of staff
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Connect centre flooded with rescue, relief calls
Jammu, September 16 The centre began to receive calls from day one of its inception, but most of the calls were made for the rescue and relief, an official said, adding that the operators received only 65 calls to lodge report about the missing. About 20 people have been indulged in the 24x7 helpline service. “The idea behind establishing this centre was to provide a single desk to the people who are roaming here and there to find out their family members,” said Amit Sharma, Special Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, who has been appointed as the in-charge of the centre. “The centre would gather all the details of missing persons and whenever someone would be found his family will be informed immediately,” Sharma said. The centre received hundreds of calls in the last 24 hours, most of them were from Kashmir and flood-affected areas of the Jammu region, where the flood victims remain trapped or were awaiting the relief material, the officer said. A telephone operator on duty at the connect centre told The Tribune that about 65 persons have been reported missing till now. The flow of calls, however, increased in the late afternoon. “More than 50 per cent of the received calls were for rescue and relief. People are still trapped in different areas and are seeking rescue and relief,” he said. Sharma said: “We have deployed two police men along with the operators. They are carrying the message of victims and informing the rescue and relief team to take action.” “This centre is not only helping to trace the missing, but also helping those trapped in floods to get relief,” he said. The centre in-charge said the people can call them on these numbers: 0191- 2471522, 2471922, 2472022 and 2472322. They can also check our facebook page —- ‘Operation Connect J&K.’ |
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Work on Bailey bridge gets underway
Jammu, September 16 The bridge built in Kotranka tehsil in 1992 had been washed away in the floods. It had destroyed the only road link for around 75,000 persons residing in 51 villages of the area. The natural disaster had affected 1.3 lakh people in both districts. The Engineer Regiment swung into action and measured the gap of 180 feet at the site. In the last four days, the task force on location cleared the abutment and readied the area for building the bridge. Separate teams were set up to consolidate bridging stores. This included transportation of stores from Akhnoor and Udhampur. Some stores were retrieved from bridges on the old national highway at Panjgrain near Nagrota lying in disuse. While work was in progress, the Bailey bridge was expected to be constructed soon so that road connectivity was restored in the two districts. |
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Cong to bring docs from party ruled states to help J&K: Azad
Poonch, September 16 The former Union Health Minister was talking to the media during his visit to Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir today. He visited various flood-affected areas and assured the people that their issues would be raised before the Centre. He was accompanied by Ambika Soni, general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, Tara Chand, Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and Saifuddin Soz, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief. Azad said: “Every party has been trying to help the Jammu and Kashmir Government in its relief measures. We (Congress) have also decided to bring doctors from the Congress-ruled states so that we may fight the water borne diseases.” Ambika Soni said, “It is not the time for politics. From the very first day of the calamity, we have been telling the Central government to declare it a national calamity. We also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remind him that he had said there would not be any shortage of funds to restore Jammu and Kashmir.” Soni further said the state government was itself a victim of the calamity. “From a peon to the secretary level officer, everyone has become a victim of the calamity. And, now, it is the responsibility of the Union Government to bring emergency task forces from other states so that losses in the state are minimised,” she added. Soni told the people and the district administration to stop all illegal construction to avoid such losses in the future. |
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Farmers in Chenab basin battle starvation
Sajwal (Akhnoor),
September 16 Rajinder Kumar of Sajwal village had more than 25 fertile acres in which he cultivated high yield basmati. He was expecting a good yield due to timely rain and availability of high quality seeds. His hopes were dashed on the night of September 5 when his entire crop was washed away in the floods. The water washed away the crop and filled his fields with silt and garbage. “It will take nearly a decade to clear the silt and garbage from the fields,” he said, pointing to the badly damaged crop. The fields were filled with sand and small stones. Sajwal, Gowar, Kothay Brahamana, Gurha Manhsa, Thankpur, Chakwari and Dewar villages on the left bank of the Chenab bore the brunt of the flooded river. Garu Ram, another farmer, said he saw his destruction with his own eyes. “I helplessly watched how my crop was washed away and fields virtually turned into garbage dumps,” he said. This part of the Chenab basin saw such massive destruction earlier in 1988 and 1992. “This time, the magnitude was much higher compared to previous floods,” recalled octogenarian Narayan Singh. “In the previous floods, only crops were washed away. This time, our fields were wiped out,” he said. He said farmers of this belt had been working hard to make their land fit for cultivation since 1992. The belt was among the most fertile ones in Jammu district due to the hard work of local farmers. “For nearly a decade, we were producing a large quantity of foodgrain, The demand for quality products was high in Jammu and other towns,” he said. Some social organisations had extended a helping hand, but the farmers were finding it difficult to accept relief material. 3rd tragedy since ’88
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Threat of epidemic looms as carcasses float in Srinagar
Srinagar, September 16 “There is a serious threat of epidemic in the area. Carcasses are lying at the dairy farm since last week. However, the government is not bothered to dispose it of,” Ali Mohammad, a resident of Qamawari, said while
covering his nose with a mask. The locals said two youth had tried to free the animals from their sheds but their boat capsized. “Body of one of the youths was later recovered from the spot while other is still missing,” said a local. The dairy farm remains under water and there are various other localities where animal carcasses are visible, but no efforts have been made by the government to destroy
the remains. Experts say that the best way of disposal of animal carcass is controlled
incarceration but that is not possible at this juncture. Therefore, the only option left was deep burial away from the disaster site in an uninhabited place so that the water table in the flooded area was not polluted. “They should dig 30-40 feet deep pits in a far off unpopulated place and put a layer of lime on the carcasses to increase the rate of decomposition and put enough soil on it,” a health expert said. Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, GN Qasba said they have already started the process to dispose off the animal carcasses in the city. However, he did not specify the efforts made by the administration in
this regard. |
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City faces threat of epidemic as garbage piles up
Jammu, September 16 While state government agencies have warned the public of the outbreak of an epidemic, but no efforts are being made to coordinate among themselves for clearing the areas where the floodwater has brought solid waste. The situation has been made worse by the destruction of sanitary and piped water networks as well as the lack of equipment and technical expertise. Water-borne diseases like jaundice, dysentery and diarrhea are threatening to complicate the situation further if there is any outbreak. The failure to lift garbage from various areas of the city has also exposed the negligent attitude of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), which has left residents to suffer and is creating health hazards for them. “It is not only the solid waste, but also the foul smell creating unpleasant experience for people engaged in relief operation, particularly in flood-affected areas. This waste has become a major problem for the locals and can lead to the spreading of various diseases,” said Roshan Singh, a flood victim at Bhagwati Nagar. Many people alleged that shopkeepers are major contributors of garbage as some of them are dumping solid waste on roadsides. The lack of concern shown by the JMC in fulfilling the official duties in time by not lifting solid garbage also adds to the menace. The solid waste of the city is dumped near Bhagwati Nagar, but due to the lack of space for the whole garbage the officials sometimes don’t clear the waste from various points in the city, which leads to inconvenience to residents. |
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PDP for coordinated efforts to help flood-affected in state
Jammu, September 16 He told the party workers to render every possible help to people on their doorsteps at the time of the crisis. “Being a responsible opposition party of Jammu and Kashmir, it is our duty to ensure that relief should reach to each and every deserving family of the state,” Vikramaditya Singh said while addressing a meeting of senior party leaders to review the initiatives taken by the PDP to provide relief to the affected families. “I am myself coordinating the relief and rescue activities from Delhi. We have already approached people from all over the country to donate generously for the flood-affected families of Jammu and Kashmir,” the PDP leader said and assured that soon relief material would reach the remotest areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur. “I have been told that relief material is yet to reach the most deserving and affected families of the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri,” he said and assured the workers that the PDP would take up the issue with the state and the Central governments. “We have our network at the grass-roots level. This time we have to utilise this network to minimise the miseries of the people and address their grievances,” he said. |
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IAF to aid of 5-yr-old Anantnag girl
Jammu, September 16 With the flood situation having worsened and all roads blocked, there was no way to take her to Srinagar by road. Help came in the form of an Air Force helicopter. The child and her grandmother Jehana Begam were flown to the Srinagar airport. The flood situation made it impossible to take Saira to any hospital in Srinagar. The Air Force took the initiative to send her to Jammu. She and her grandmother were taken to Jammu in an aircraft. From the Air Force base, a message was sent to the 166 Military Hospital to receive her. The child was admitted to the hospital on the night of September 10, almost 12 hours after she sustained the serious head injury. Her CT scan was conducted, which revealed a fracture in the left parietal bone of the skull. She and her grandmother were helped by the nursing staff. She showed improvement and would return home shortly. Playing saviour
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Home Secy takes stock of rescue, relief ops
Jammu, September 16 Underlining the need for early restoration of road connectivity, the Home Secretary directed the department concerned to ensure that all roads are restored at the earliest so that people can get the supply of essential items in a hassle-free manner. He also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu, for additional deployment of police personnel along the national highway so that vehicles could ply smoothly and trucks carrying ration, LPG and other essential items could reach the Valley easily. Regarding the supply of medicines to Kashmir, the Director, Health Services, Jammu, was told to ensure adequate number of drugs, including antidiarrhoeal, antibiotic and antidiabetic drugs, are supplied to Srinagar on priority. Taking stock of the damages caused to public and private property due to floods in Jammu, the Home Secretary directed the officers concerned to ensure early and accurate assessment of damages so that people can get relief well in time. On the supply of LPG and petroleum, oils and lubricants (POL) to Kashmir, the concerned authorities informed the meeting that trucks carrying LPG and other POL products were being dispatched to Kashmir via the Sinthan Top and the Mughal Road. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu; IGP, Jammu, Rajesh Kumar; Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu; heads of various departments; among others attended the meeting. Later the Union Home Secretary along with the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, and Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, also visited the fourth Tawi bridge, a portion of which got washed away during recent floods. |
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Rescue over, boats ferry relief in marooned areas
Srinagar, September 16 Twelve days since the floods turned “paradise on earth” into a “ghost city”, it has yet to come to grips with harsh reality. People in Indra Nagar, mostly men, sought food, water and medicines. Though the water level had receded further in various localities, it was still between five and six feet in low-lying areas close to the Jhelum. “It will take at least a month for the water to fully recede,” said Aijaz Ahmed of Batwara. “The water has destroyed Srinagar. In my opinion, it will take years for the authorities to restore infrastructure,” he added. Mohammed Shafi, a Kashmir University stuldent from the same locality, said potable water was a major problem for residents of marooned localities. Parshottam Singh and his family, who were stuck in Shivpora, demanded medicines for fever and infections. Milk had become a luxury in Srinagar. Sabina Begum of the same locality, who had four children, said food stocks were depleting rapidly and her children desperately needed milk. “They cannot eat boiled rice every time. They need milk,” she said. A doctor at the 92 Base Hospital said the Army had evacuated around 2,000 persons, including lactating women and their newborns and husbands from GB Pant Children’s Hospital on September
7 and 8. Demand for potable water, milk
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Centre should monitor relief distribution in flood-hit areas: APMCC
Jammu, September 16 Committee members, who were rescued after remaining stranded for 10 days in the Zyeshta Devi temple on the outskrits of Srinagar, alleged that the government and its agencies failed to act on time to warn people when the rains lashed the Kashmir valley. It has also demanded imposition of the Governor’s rule in the state. Addressing a press conference, APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit said people have no faith in the state administration and also denounced the use of force by the police against the stranded people at the Zyestha Devi temple. Thousands of people are stranded in the temple and the temple committee is providing meals to them. Pandit along with national spokesperson King Bharati said the Omar Abdullah government is a total failure and the Centre must impose the Governor’s rule for effective relief and rehabilitation of flood victims of J&K. Advocate Arun Kandroo said people should salute the service of armed forces, which provided much-needed rescue and relief to flood-affected people. |
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In first 12 hrs of flooding, crucial help came from local volunteers
Srinagar, September 16 It is the local help which saved thousands of lives in these crucial hours and helped majority of the people to escape the rising floodwaters. With more and more people recounting their experiences, it has become clear that the local help has saved most of the lives. “The crucial help when this area was getting flooded came from the local volunteers and the daredevil youth who swung into action and saved hundreds of lives in this locality,” said a police official in the Rajbagh area, which is still submerged under 5-8 ft water. Jan Mohammad, owner of Modern Hospital in Rajbagh, who gave shelter to around 600 people who fled their homes in the locality, said it is the local youth and volunteers who saved lives. In Rajbagh and other adjoining localities, the water level rose to unprecedented 18 to 22 feet and submerged hundreds of double-storey houses completely. “Initially I had fears that the casualty would be around 25,000, but thank God, my worst fears have not come true. It is just because the local youth and volunteers swung into action and saved people from getting drowned in their own houses,” said Jan Mohammad, who has now closed his hospital. His hospital still hosts many families who fled their homes in the neighborhood and are unable to moves into their houses as the inundation continues despite the passage of over 10 days since the flooding on September 7. Besides, every locality has set up a mohalla-level relief distribution point, where each and every affected family is registered. The relief material coming from other districts and areas like Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Handwara, Kulgam, Bandipora, Tangmarg, Shopian and Budgam is collected at these points and then distributed among the needy. At several such relief distribution points, like the ones near Modern Hospital in Rajbagh, Girls Convent in Rajbagh Extension and Gurdwara Santnagar, long queues of flood victims can be seen for fetching relief goods like mineral water, flour, vegetables, biscuits and milk. “The government and its various agencies have been claiming in the media, particularly through electronic news channels, that it is providing relief on the war-footing in every locality. However, the truth is that it is the local community efforts, which have sustained life so for in the affected areas. The government is nowhere in sight,” said Haroon Wani, an IT professional from the Jawhar Nagar locality. |
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Manual dewatering of flooded areas a distant dream
Srinagar, September 16 Residential areas like Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Gogjibagh, Bemina and Qamarwari continue to remain inundated. Many houses in these areas have collapsed due to continuous water logging. “Few dewatering pumps are being utilised in some areas, but if this is the pace with which the dewatering was taking place, it will take a year to complete,” said Adil Ahmed, a Rajbagh resident whose single-storey house is still under water. “The government machinery is not visible and it seems we have been left at God’s mercy,” Ahmed said. Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Sarmad Hafeez, whose house in the Rajbagh area continues to be inundated, said the water level has not receded much during the past few days. “I had come here to see my house which is under water and fetch some belongings of my kids, but I could not reach there. Water has receded by only few inches during these days,” said Hafeez. “If the situation remains the same, the houses will start falling like a pack cards in next two or
three days,” the DC told a group, adding that that several houses in his lane have collapsed. Many people in the area were seen asking him to request the authorities to install pumps in the area. Meanwhile, the residents in Bemina, a low lying locality which is still inundated, said the government was not giving priority to dewater the locality. “There is no government machinery visible and no one tells us when the dewatering operation will start in our locality,” said Ashfaq Peerzada, a local. The anger against the government is brewing, he said Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, GN Qasba, however, said efforts were on to dewater the city. “The process has begun,”
he said. |
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DGP tells officers to coordinate with civil admn for helping flood victims
Srinagar, September 16 Rajendra, who was personally monitoring and supervising the assistance extended by the JK Police to people in the flood-affected areas, directed all zonal Inspector Generals of Police, range Deputy Inspector Generals of Police, District Superintendents and Commandants of armed or IRP Battalions of the JK Police to mobilise their subordinate establishments and work round the clock for the rescue and assistance of the people in their respective areas. Rajendra has been chairing the meetings of senior police officers regularly to review the progress on the rescue front. The DGP, during his visit to the affected areas, sought reports from the field officers about the functioning of police establishments during the evacuation of people from the flood-hit areas. He was informed that police personnel, under the command and control of senior officers, took a massive operation to rescue people trapped in the floods. He was told that JK Police personnel have been pressed into service in these areas and are working hard to restore essential services there. The DGP disclosed that in coordination with Indian Railways, the JK Police have been making strenuous efforts to restore train service in the Valley. He said 57-km railway track from Baramulla to Nowgam has been restored and all the eight railway stations in north Kashmir have been made functional and the remaining railway stations in south Kashmir would start functioning within the next few days. The DGP disclosed that in order to coordinate with the civil administration in the rescue and relief work, the police telecommunication network is being strengthened and satellite phones and wireless sets have been provided to the designated officers assigned with the rescue and relief operations. Besides, a Police Telecommunication Control Room has been established at the Police Headquarters to facilitate the communication between different agencies involved in rescue operations and restoration works. |
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Asaram followers distribute relief
Jammu, September 16 “They have lost everything and the government should take immediate measures to provide them financial assistance so that they can again construct their houses,” said Parshotam Sharma, organiser of the flood relief wing of the Satsang Prachar Sewa Mandal. They distributed several items, including rice, flour, baby food and clothes, among the people affected by the floods.
— TNS |
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JU announces fresh dates for inter-collegiate tournaments
Jammu, September 16 The dates were decided unanimously in a meeting of the physical directors/PTIs of various colleges held today in the office of the Director, Directorate of Sports and Physical Education. As per the new schedule, the judo competitions in the men’s section will
be held from September 22 to 23, while the women competitions on September 24. The inter-collegiate basketball championship (women) will be held from September 22 onwards, while the wrestling (men) competitions from September 25 to 26. The women championship will be conducted on September 27. The inter-collegiate kho-kho tournament in the men and women’s sections will begin on September 25, whereas the badminton competitions in the men and women’s sections will commence from September 29. The basketball competition in the men’s section will be held on October 8. The football tournament in the women’s section will be held on October 13. Cross-country for men
and women will be held on December 15 and 16, respectively. |
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Shelz launches safest laser hair removal technology in Jammu
Jammu, September 16 After being certified for performing cosmetic laser treatment, Shivani has launched the laser treatment in the run up to festive season in Jammu. She has attended international laser congresses in Turkey, Thailand and Dubai and can perform non-surgical cosmetic face-lifting and contouring. Shivani is a thermolysis procedure specialist and trained in hydro-dermabrasion advance skin treatments. Klap cosmetic group, Germany, and Phytomo, USA, jointly organised an event “Scholars of Beauty” where a diamond trophy was awarded to Shivani. She has an in-salon skin lab where stem cell serums are customised for clients specific treatments. Every year Shivani keeps upgrading with latest technologies and bringing more for the people in J&K.
— TNS |
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‘Hindi Pakhwara’ concludes
Jammu, September 16 A large number of employees, their family members and schoolchildren participated in the programme. Speaking on the occasion, Bhat, besides reading the message of the Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC Limited, advised the employees to implement the “rajbhasha” in their day-to-day office work. Later, he distributed prizes among the winners of various competitions like noting/drafting and “kavita path”. A cultural programme was also presented by schoolchildren. |
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Excise guard killed, 3 hurt
Jammu, September 16 Bhupinder and Mohinder were shifted to the GMCH. Miffed over the killing of an excise guard, residents and transporters from rival group blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway, disrupting traffic for more than two hours. They demanded immediate arrest of the accused. Kathua SSP Mohan Lal said four had been taken into custody while move to arrest the accused was on. |
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Yasin Malik’s arrest sought
Jammu, September 16 The movement has demanded action against people inciting the flood-affected people to throw stones on the Army. Yesterday several television news channels aired a video footage of Yasin Malik, snatching relief material from rescue workers. The JWAM president, Sunil Dimple, has urged the state and Central Government to take strict action against the separatist elements who are inciting people and attacking the relief boats and helicopters with stones. |
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ADGP enquires about welfare of staff
Srinagar, September 16 He was accompanied by Inspector General of Police, Personnel, AK Choudhary; Inspector General of Police, Headquarters, Deepak Kumar; DIG, Administration, Ali Mohammad; AIG, Provision, AA Kakroo; and AIG, Welfare, Rajeshwar Singh. |
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