Srinagar limps back to life, focus shifts on state govt’s failure

Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Javed Jaffer: Many people in valley ask why the Chief Engineer has not been sacked. Even till Sunday afternoon, the engineer maintained that the flood waters in Srinagar are receding but it only continued to increase by several feet for another 12 hours. There was no prior warning to the people about the extent of floods. In fact, the Facebook page of Irrigation and Flood Control put a status on Sunday morning saying that water level at Srinagar has receded by three inch. “By now, he should have been terminated for failing to predict and warn the people,” says Adil Ahmad of Jawahar Nagar. “Nobody warned us”.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Shah: When the water started to inundate the Srinagar city, the Deputy Commissioner went missing from the scene. There was no coordination between the different quarters of the government and as there was communication breakdown, the deputy commissioner and his office was off the scene. “We have been told that he (deputy commissioner Farooq Shah) was himself staying at Lalit palace when the people needed him,” says Mudasir Ahmad, a resident of Nishat.

Inspector General of Police A G Mir: For many years police had been the only face of the state in difficult times. But on September 7 when the flood waters started to inundate the city, police went missing. For more than a week no man in uniform was seen at any place in Srinagar.

Cellular Companies: Barring Aircel that worked in several parts of the valley, there was complete communication breakdown in the valley. “When Uttrakhand was hit by massive flash floods, the communication was restored within 48 hours,” says Younis Ahmad, a businessman from Lalchowk. “But here, it has been more than a fortnight and they are yet to start restoration”.