Entire State has been lashed by torrential rains for two days causing havoc to life, property and crops. The impact of heavy monsoon rains has been disastrous for Jammu region where all big rivers like Tawi, Ujh and Basantar flowed above danger mark. Besides, numerous nullahs in Jammu Kandi region were in spate as these overflowed their banks. Reports of damages caused to life and property have come in from almost all district of Jammu region.
These heavy rains have caused numerous deaths by either washing away human beings or causing collapse of houses and huts thus burying the denizens under the debris. In most cases, village people have joined hands to retrieve dead bodies from the debris or pull out survivors from under the debris of dilapidated houses. Hundreds of people whose residential houses were close to the flooded rivers and nullahs had to move away to safer places and thus saved their lives. How many cattle have been washed away by the flood water is not known as yet. But many small bridges have been washed away and even some of the bigger bridges had to be closed for some time owing to overflow of flood water. Traffic on National Highway from Jammu to Srinagar had to be suspended owing to land and mudslides having blocked the road. In Ramban sector the landslide had to be cleared twice in a day and still the road could not be opened for traffic.
Districts of Doda, Reasi and Ramban have met with big losses in terms of small bridges having been washed away and house collapses causing death to the denizens. In Kathua-Billawar sector also, floods have caused damages. The fact is that for two days the entire transport system in major parts ofJammu region remained paralyzed and people got stranded because of absence of transport system. Water entered many houses and shops in proper Jammu and people had to be evacuated to safer places. As a result of incessant rains, supply of electricity was adversely affected and remained cut off for two days. Only now power has been restored in parts of the city while some parts are still reeling under darkness. Along with failure of electric power, water supply naturally gets affected.
Kashmir valley was also hit by rains. Although Srinagar received not too heavy rains yet South Kashmir had to bear the brunt of heavy rains and storms causing many nullahs and stream to overflow. Some villagers had to be removed to safer places as water level rose to threatening level. In such situation, it is really difficult for the administration to take preventive measures and in time because these heavy rains were unpredictable.
Some conclusions could be drawn for future guidance of the people. One is that those living very close to river banks or the streams and nullahs should think of shifting to safer places. This will need some advance planning by the Goverment. The second point we would like to make is that all categories of people who have suffered on account of these heavy rains and floods should be given relief and support or both. They need to be re habilitated in their places if they were forced by the threat of floods to leave their homes. They cannot live in perennial threat of being washed away in day or at night. Therefore their permanent shifting should become a policy matter of the Government. Crops that have been submerged under water should be dewatered immediately to save as much of crops as can be saved. Those whose houses have collapsed owing to rains should be provided with adequate support to build themselves new habitat. If any of the affected family has lost a bread earner, pension for the old and disabled person in the household should be sanctioned. In all probability the Government may call a meeting of the Deputy Commissioners concerned to apprise the Government of the nature of the losses happened in respective district and then chalk out relief and rehabilitation framework for the affected people .This meeting shall have to take into consideration all the three regions of the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel