Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 15: While in a fresh house collapse in Dudu area of Udhampur, one person was killed and two others injured last night, another dead body of a 12-year-old boy was recovered today from the debris at Saddal village of Pancheri where entire village perished in massive land slides during recent rains while rain and flood affected people from Kalakote tehsil held protest demonstration against the Administration.
The villagers from two Panchayats of Kalakote forced the Relief team led by a Naib Tehsildar to flee the village when Revenue officials started distributing relief/ food material comprising of just a bread, a biscuit packet and a bottle of mineral water today. The furious villagers, who were waiting for any help from the Administration for the last over nine days even threw bottles of water and packets on them.
Reports of non-provision of relief and food material from many remote and inaccessible areas continued to pour in the Excelsior office while in many areas people alleged that tents, blankets, utensils and clothes were their prime need apart from food material and ration. They alleged that material being provided by the Administration was not adequate. If the Chief Minister and Prime Minister is claiming that there was no limit of funds for relief then where is the material going. They demanded that NGOs be deployed with the Government officials while providing relief material. Even in Mendhar tehsil, the local administration held up tents and blankets with them for two days while public kept on pleading to release the material.
A police spokesman said that in Pachound-II Panchayat in Dudu area of district Udhampur, one Premu Ram, son of Massu was buried alive while his daughter -in-law, Kailasho Devi and nephew Subash Chander (28), son of Satto Ram were seriously injured when a house collapsed late last evening. The villagers rushed to the spot and started rescue work. They extricated the body of Premu and also rescued both the injured persons and shifted them to local hospital. They were later removed to district hospital today. Today Police and Revenue officials visited the village and the family has been accommodated in the adjoining house.
Commanding Officer of 19 Gadwal Regiment Col Nitin Tripathy who alongwith his Unit men is supervising rescue operation at the village after massive land slides at Saddal village of Panjar Panchayat in Pancheri (Udhampur), said that one more dead body of a 12-year-old boy was recovered from the debris while digging this afternoon. The deceased has been identified as Chamelu Ram (12), son of Girdhari Lal. Seven members of this family are said to have been died in the landslides. He said till now two dead bodies of this family have been recovered. Earlier, dead body of 15-year-old Radha Devi, was recovered from the debris. Their five members are still missing. With the recovery of this body today, total 13 bodies of the missing deceased persons have been recovered. About 25 persons are still missing under the debris, he added.
Reports from Rajouri said that some rain- flood affected villagers held protest demonstration at Kalakote town and raised slogans against the authorities. The villagers who had come from various Panchayats alleged that they have not been provided relief so far while Revenue officials were just asking to write applications and submit for the relief. They alleged that in their areas no officers have visited while Patwaris through Numberdars sent message to reach Tehsil Headquarters for submitting applications. They alleged that many of them have turned homeless and if relief is provided after 15 days or month what is the fun of that. They further alleged that exhorbitant money is being charged from them for application forms and Stamp papers. They also disrupted movement of traffic for some time on Kalakote-Rajouri road. Later, SDM Kalakote Bal Krishan and SHO reached the spot and pacified the agitating public. On the assurance of SDM, the people then suspended agitation.
Another reports said that people from Batera and Kharak Panchayats today refused to accept meager relief material when the revenue team led by Naib Tehsildar Saddiq Malik reached the village. The locals alleged that affected villagers were provided just a bread, biscuit packet and a bottle of water. Upon this, the villagers who were waiting for any help got furious and they refused to take the same. They made the Revene team to flee the village.
Reports from some areas of Khawas, which fall in Kalakote constituency have revealed that no relief material was provided to them. They alleged that in the absence of road link, there was acute shortage of food grains and other items and no relief has been reached up to the affected families taking refuge in Government schools or Panchayat Ghar. They urged upon the Administration for air-dropping of the food material in their inaccessible areas. Similar reports, have been received from Peeri, Parodi, Kotli Kalaban and part of Kotranka and Budhal. Even similar reports are still coming from remote areas of Reasi and Ramban where people are still waiting. The senior officials, however, claimed that their staff was busy in preparing lists and assessment work and the relief would be provided later after receiving claim applications.
Reports from Udhampur said that about 33 houses have been damaged in Sangoor Panchayat, 12 in Sambal and Sul, 35 in Barata area, three at Jakheni, 63 in Battal area, 16 in Mansar, 28 in Darsoo, four in Moud, seven in Jakhar and Charry, 25 in Salmari, 65 in Dabreh, 22 in Gamai, 18 in Badali, 31 in Kallar area, nearly 45 in Kawa, 11 in Kembal Danga, 15 in Hartiyan and 17 in Kasherh area. MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia who visited most of the Panchyats of his constituency alleged that no immediate relief has been provided to the people by Administration. The officials are mostly just making assessment without properly visiting affected areas and preparing lists while people have been left high and dry. They immediately need tents, blankets, ration, utensils clothes etc.
A senior Police official from Reasi said that in a well coordinated efforts by District Police and its units large numbers of people were rescued in a series of rescue operations in coordination with Army and CRPF. To mention a few Kala Jhar Chungra’ was first major rescue operation that was launched and continued for more than 3-4 days. The area is at about 30 kms on foot from Chasana. The police party was led by SHO Chasana himself. Around 15 people were rescued by the police party using ropes through a Nallah risking their own lives, 5 dead bodies were also brought down by Police. At village Kayala (Suketer), 35 families were rescued by the police party of PS Reasi and shifted to a nearby Panchayat Ghar, 30 families were rescued from upper Talwara and shifted to a safer place. In another major rescue operation at Seri Dera Baba Area around 300 people were rescued by the police party and taken to a safer place.
The sub-division police units of Arnas and Mahore also rescued large number of people in a series of rescue operations. In a major rescue operation by Police Party at Arnas 85 persons of 9 families from village Saral, Beala, and Haardh were rescued and shifted to primary school Saral. In another rescue operation, around 110 people of 19 families were rescued by civil administration and police from village Dotal and Godher Dharmari in Arnas and shifted to Primary School Kalees and Primary School, Shanoog. In a series of rescue operation by Police Unit at Mahore, a large number of people were rescued from Dewal Dogga, Bandi (Mahore), Dada, Mullas, Theinmarag and shifted to safer places. The police recovered the dead bodies from the debris and it was after a tremendous hard work by police party that these bodies were recovered. Special Team under the supervision of SHO Mahore was constituted to expedite the opening of roads that were blocked. Immediate relief of free ration around 19 Quintals (Rice + Atta), 651 Blankets, 30 sweaters and other essentials was distributed by district police Reasi to the victims of flood and landslides at different places in Sub Division Mahore most prominent of which is Mullas, Dada and Bandi, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel