A week later, tents have not reached Bhuj

The administration concedes that many have not received the tents and the blankets, but says there is a shortage. L. Mansingh, additional chief secretary (industries), who has replaced ACS (Finance) G. Subbarao at the helm of affairs, says: “Many people have not received the tents for they are in short supply. We appeal to everyone to send us as many tents as possible.”

Mansingh admits there was a lack of coordination earlier in distributing the other supplies like foodgrains and water, “but now, except forthe tents and the blankets, everything else is being streamlined.”

But the people refuse to take this. “This is simply not true. Two lakh tentshave come and thousands of blankets but the items are going out of Kutch”, says an angry Manoj Majithia.

“There is total mismanagement as well as favouritism in distribution of the stuff, as the influential people like municipal councillors and relatives of government officials siphon away eveything, leaving little for us,” says Sadhanaben Vasan, shouting outside the District Collectorate. “We are not beggars, we also have self-esteem. For everything, we have to extend our hand. Our children shiver and cry for the whole night, but nobody has any pity for us. I feel like shooting them down,” she says.

Though the administration claims the distribution of other relief supplies isin order, there are still complaints from Bhuj itself. Sundarlal, who stays in Takia Faliya in the Camp area, says, “Sometimes we receive the supplies, sometimes we have to virtually beg for it.” Aslambhai Fakir Mohammed of the Old Station area complains, “For the last three days, nothing has reached our area.”

“Why doesn’t the government admit that they can’t do this work? Why don’t they let the Army handle everything, before our children start dying in the cold?” says Shitalben.

Anurag Kapoor says he has been directed from one place to the other for a tent. A businessman, he says he can’t suffer the indignity of standing in queues for food or for a tent. “The reason I haven’t got a tent is because I don’t have a letter from somebody influential,” he says.

S. Jagdeeshan, former Municipal Commissioner in Rajkot, has been specially asked to co-ordinate aid distribution in Bhuj. “We are going to decide tonight whether the NGOs or the government should be the distributing agency. Right now, there’s a problem among the NGOs. They all want to distribute goods that have come in from all parts of the world,” he says.

According to Kapoor, the Collector has been telling him that the tents will only be given to groups, not to individuals. “I have seen with my own eyes tonnes of tents lying at the Air Force base,” he said.

SEWA, Swaminarayan Trust, Abhiyaan and Asararam Bapu are among the NGOs shortlisted for this work. And they’re already bickering among themselves. A representative of Abhiyan claims that they have been asking authorities to let them distribute tents, but they haven’t got permission so far.

A survey indicates that one lakh tents would be required, a large portion of which has already come in from foreign agencies. Nevertheless, the government has already placed its orders for a lakh tents. “In 15 days, everybody will have a tent to sleep in,” assures Jagdeeshan. With the mercury touching six degrees, it’s still very far away for the people of Bhuj.