It is not a minor rescue operation in Srinagar. First let us try to understand the magnitude of disaster. More than 17 to 18 feet rise in the waters of Jhelum inundated the entire city of Srinagar which is situated on both banks of the Jhelum. The bund broke and water entered the city leaving no time for the denizens to move away to safer locales. And safer locales there were none because the city in its entirety came under deep sheet of water rising up to second floor of residential houses. There was no forewarning; there was no emergency alarm; people were caught unawares. The Chief Minister says that he was without Government, without office and without connectivity. All communication and connectivity broke down.
In this situation actually there was no Government anywhere for three days and nights of catastrophe. Obviously, no ordinary administration could tackle with this Herculean task. No doubt people do expect the administration to move in swiftly and respond to the disaster. It is the duty of the Government. But where was the Government? Nowhere around for none of its faults. The chief minister and some of his ministers could be reached or located three days after the tragedy struck the valley. Therefore, the anger of the people against the Government is unfounded and unrealistic.
It is only the army that wad visible and that is engaged in a massive rescue mission, all at the great risk of jawans. One lakh and ten thousand persons have been rescued and evacuated. All this has been done by the combined efforts of our armed forces that are at the mission day and night. At Technical Airport in Jammu, evacuated people have loudly complained against the State Government for its failure to do anything or being “lethargic”. They have no doubt gone through an ordeal but it is unjustifiable on their part to paint the State Government in dark colour. They have to understand the predicament of the Government and the constraints that were almost insurmountable. Yes, the Indian army behaved as savior. That is precisely the purpose for which more than a lakh troops have been deployed on duty of rescue and relief. But even they, too, have some limitations. Local guidance and assistance are not available to the soldiers just because no local is available. They are all holed up in their houses. Therefore the army and the air force are functioning on the topographical maps available to them or whatever they can make out from their own assessment of ground situation. It is rather impracticable for the jawans to enter private houses and pull out the children, adults and women to take them to safer places. They try to bring all assistance they can to the doorsteps of the flood sufferers.
It is again uncalled for to say that the State Government is either lethargic or discriminative. There is no Government at all. Wherefrom does lethargy come in? Srinagar is virtually in the hands of the army. The army has been assigned a specific task and it will not move out unless last man is rescued. Waters in the Jhelum are receding slowly and it will take many more days for the situation to return to normalcy. Therefore complaints, grouses and anger are all meaningless. Among the flood ravaged people in the city of Srinagar also there is a strong wave of resentment and anger. It is unfounded and not tenable. The fact of the matter is that those among the faithful have to say that this is God’s wrath on a people who might have committed some sins. It is a dire warning to the people at large that they need to adopt the path of righteousness where truth has the last word. Expression of anger and grouse against this or that person is not the right approach. People have to be patient, reconciled to the will of God and abstain from sins, wrong doing and thanklessness. Administration from Srinagar to New Delhi is in action and they are fighting to control the disaster. At this point of time all nationalist people should lend their helping hand to all those who are engaged in rescue operations especially the army. Grumbling and complaining should stop. Mobile connectivity is going to be revived in a day from now and road block is being cleared by border road force. Let us be patient with the situation in which we are caught.
Private airlines are also rendering service and they have been given instructions by their respective headquarters that they have to render all possible facilities they can to the stranded people who want to be ferried to Jammu and other places. We expect that all concerned with the industry will observe the norms laid down to meet the exigency created by flood situation and not exploit the occasion for pecuniary benefits. Most of the private airlines have said that they strictly follow the instructions in regard to prioritizing the airlifting of affected people, their airfare to be normal and within the specifications etc. DGCA has issued clear instructions about the air tariff and we expect all airlines to hold fast to these instructions.
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