Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 2: Fresh earthquake of moderate intensity today jolted the Doda and Kishtwar districts this morning and widened the cracks, which were developed due to May 1 tremor and subsequent aftershocks. Though there was reportedly no loss of life, yet panic gripped the people, who had just started coming out of the shock of previous earthquakes.
In the meantime, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah took up the issue of relief package for the tremors affected populace with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde requesting them to reconsider their decision and help in rebuilding damaged infrastructure in the erstwhile Doda district.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, earthquake of 5.4 Magnitude having depth of 28 kilometers shook Doda and Kishtwar districts at around 8.04 am. The latitude of the earthquake was 33.5 degree North and longitude 75.5 degree East. The earthquake lasted six to seven seconds and created panic among the people of the twin districts, who had just started coming out of the shock of the previous tremors.
Though there were no reports of loss of life from any part of these districts yet one woman got fainted during the tremors while as another woman sustained injuries while rushing out of her house in Kishtwar district. They have been identified as Rubina Begum, wife of Ikhiaq Hussain of Sangrambhata and Parveena of Padyarna. Both were rushed to the District Hospital Kishtwar and later discharged.
The fresh earthquake, however, aggravated the damages caused by the earlier tremors with widened cracks in the houses staring at people as if they will be swallowed any time. The panic stricken people came out of their houses amidst rainfall and returned after spending two hours in the open sky due to fear of aftershocks.
“The rainfall has also been weakening those houses, which have suffered damages due to tremors and whether these houses would withstand the snowfall during the winters remains an issue required to be seriously pondered upon by the administration”, official sources said.
They disclosed that majority of the earthquake affected people have not come forward till date to receive the meager financial assistance for repair of their houses although Deputy Commissioners of Doda and Kishtwar have placed the money as per the existing norms at the disposal of the Tehsildars concerned.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Doda, Mubarak Singh confirmed that fresh tremor has aggravated the damages and led to panic in the entire district. “This is a fact that people have not come forward till date to receive the assistance under the existing norms”, he added.
Meanwhile, sources said that Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has written to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde requesting them to reconsider their decision and give nod to Rs 607.7 crore worth special package for the victims of earthquake of erstwhile Doda district.
“Under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) norms, there is a provision of very meager relief ranging from Rs 1250 to Rs 35,000 and keeping in view the immense damage caused by the earthquake this amount is inadequate for the people to repair their houses”, sources said quoting the Chief Minister’s communication to the Prime Minister and Home Minister.
“The economic condition of the majority of the people whose houses have suffered damages is not worth bearing the financial burden involved in repairing their houses as such humane approach is required to be adopted by sanctioning the relief package forwarded by the J&K Cabinet”, sources privy to the Chief Minister’s DO letter said.
It is pertinent to mention here that 47,513 houses have been damaged in Doda district in the quake of May 1 and aftershocks which included 678 fully, 10255 severely and 29,317 partially. Bhaderwah town of Doda district bore the brunt of the damage. In Kishtwar district, about 100 houses have been fully damaged while 2815 were severely damaged and about 19,000 were partially damaged. The damage was comparatively less in Ramban district.
In Doda district, damage to Government infrastructure was around Rs 89 crores while in Kishtwar it was Rs 8 crores and in Ramban Rs 1.5 crores. In Doda district, about 500 schools, 14 Primary Health Centres and 279 Community Health Centres have been damaged while in Kishtwar district, 169 schools were damaged.
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