As flood waters marooned the State, the media reported mostly about the devastation in Srinagar. But many other areas like Poonch were ignored. Even today, the people there are struggling to get back on their feet
The floods in Jammu & Kashmir left many devastated and shattered. For some families, the loss of loved ones is ingrained so deep in their minds that it has been haunting them ever since the floods happened. And how can they forget the sceneIJ “I still remember, that day, it was raining heavily and all my family members were in the house. There was a huge thud, and in a moment, everything was destroyed,” says 28-year-old Javed Ahmed, a resident of Bariyari village in Mandi tehsil area of Poonch district. Ahmed was so helpless against nature’s fury that he could see nothing but water gushing out from all sides, his shouts were completely unheard. Meekly, he also succumbed and accepted a man’s defeat against nature.
His house was one among the 742 in the Mandi tehsil and one among the 4,075 houses in Poonch that were damaged. His family was one among the many families affected and he was yet another survivor who has lived to tell the tale of the terrible disaster. Ahmed, who now lives in his relatives, recalls the horrific day when he lost three of his 13 family members. The rest, who managed to survive, were badly injured in the landslide. “Somehow I managed to escape from the window, but I fainted and, by the time, I regained consciousness, everything was over,” he adds helplessly. “We saw the entire devastation in front of our own eyes, but we could do nothing” adds Ahmed’s younger brother Imran Khan, who managed to recover from a severe head injury due to the landslide.
According to official figures, 282 people lost their lives and 403 were injured in Jammu & Kashmir. More than 559 bridges, 4,350 miles of roads and hundreds of irrigation canals were heavily affected. On of the worst flood of its kind, it has left thousands in a state similar to that of Ahmed. livestock, household goods and money all were sacrificed to the floods. The sight was so horrific and dreadful, he further brings out crying “I could see blood everywhere, people injured, I lost my father Sayeed Mohammed, who was the Naib Sarpanch of this village.”
The media reported mostly about the Srinagar devastation, but many villages like Bariyari were left unheard and a vast number of people were left to their fate.
In the initial first hour of rescue, the injured were sent to the hospital. The search for Ahmed’s sister-in-law and grandmother was on. It was around three in the afternoon, that his sister-in-law’s body was found. Only 24 years old, she was recently wedded. “They were able to find my grandmother’s body next day at 4pm. My wife fractured her backbone in this tragedy and my niece, Nagina Bi, who is just 12 years old, lost her leg. Other members were badly injured,” Ahmed grieved silently.
Ahmed’s family had to borrow around Rs90,000 from the villagers for the treatment of the injured family members. His family got a compensation of three lakh rupees from the Government for his three deceased family members. He adds, “This appears like a minimal amount since other family members got badly injured and my niece ended up losing her limb. We need to start all over again from the scratch.”
Immediately after the floods, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had announced a sum of Rs1,000 crore as a special assistance to Jammu & Kashmir. The Prime Minister had also said that two lakh rupees would be provided to the next of kin of each person whose died in this calamity, and Rs50,000 would be provided to each who were seriously injured out of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
Few days back, the Prime Minister again visited the State on the occasion of Diwali and announced an additional relief package of Rs745 crore for rebuilding damaged schools and hospitals in the flood ravaged State. “The thought of how my niece will start her life, shivers me to the core. She is young and she has to achieve a lot in life,” says Ahmed. Nagina came under a wooden log, and the roof tin cut her leg due to which her leg had to be amputated. She has totally been shaken by this tragedy. She has not been able to go to the school either. The terrain is hilly and difficult; it’s next to impossible for her move in crutches.
For children like Nagina, an uncertain future awaits. Will she be able to study any furtherIJ What kind of life will she haveIJ It is an appeal to the Government that utmost care should be given for children like Nagina. We need to push, motivate and fan their inner flames so that they reach greater heights. We need to ensure they have a safe and secure future and can do more for themselves, for their family and for the country.
(The writer is a student at Government Degree College, Poonch. He is also a social rights activist)