State government missing in relief work, locals scan for bodies

The official further said that the Centre team also visited the Rambagh Bund area where the local youth were “very agitated.”

Fire and emergency personnel drain flood water at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Wednesday. (Source: Express photo Shuaib Masoodi )

As bodies are gradually being fished out of Srinagar’s submerged neighbourhoods, the state government continues to remain invisible, even as local volunteers have stepped up efforts to scan through debris for bodies, feed trapped residents and distribute relief material across the Valley.

Water isn’t receding in Jawaharnagar, Rajbagh, Gogji Bagh, Wazir Bagh and adjacent neighbourhoods. The state government had procured two dewatering pumps from ONGC to dry out water these areas. Sources said Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), a J&K government body, had volunteered to use the pumps. Later, it was found that ERA didn’t have the capacity to use them. “The pumps were subsequently handed over to the Army, who used them to dewater the Badami Bagh cantonment”.

Sources said ONGC had provided four more dewatering pumps. “These are very effective because they are used to pump out oil sludge. It pumps out ten thousand litres in two minutes,” a senior officer said. “But we don’t have hose pipes that are expected on the 19th”, he added. The officer said they are expecting two more pumps from ONGC on Thursday.

He added that they had so far achieved little in terms of dewatering. “As many as 21 vehicles of Fire Brigade department aren’t able to make any difference,” the officer said.

Sources in the state government also said only one flight with relief material came from the Centre on Wednesday. “It carried milk powder for Chashma Shahi milk plant, tetra packs of milk, spices etc. We hope that the relief inflow is not drying up”, said an official.

He added that a senior official of NDMA along with a DIG of NDRF visited Sanatnagar relief camp. “The people were very agitated. They were asking us, ‘where is the camera and mike, you have turned this entire rescue and relief effort into an exhibition’,” he said.

The official further said that the Centre team also visited the Rambagh Bund area where the local youth were “very agitated.”

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While relief work is focused on Srinagar, vast areas in north Kashmir have been badly hit. The district administration’s response, however, has been quick. Sources reveal that the administration procured more than six lakh sand bags from HCC operating in Bandipore. “Once we saw what happened in Srinagar, we were scared. We evacuated villages on Jhelum and Wular banks in time,” an official from north Kashmir said.

“There was enough material available to send a million sand bags to strengthen the embankment of Jhelum in and around Srinagar. It seems government didn’t take the warnings seriously”, he added.

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