Victims of recent flash floods and landslides can’t recover from the losses they have suffered without timely relief from the Government
Though there is nothing new in it that after rise in temperatures in mid-summer heavy rains trigger floods and landslides which damages standing properties including residential houses and crops besides causing deaths of civilians in remote areas of both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. Heavy rains this year also triggered flash floods and landslides which resulted in deaths of civilians besides damaging dozens of residential houses and crops in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Disbursement of exgratia relief to kins of those killed in flash floods and landslides well in time by the Government is not sufficient enough to mitigate their sufferings as houses and crops of most of such flood victims have also been damaged by the floods and landslides and they won’t find ways to recover from the losses they have suffered not for months but for years together. Though announcement and disbursement of exgratia relief to the kins of those killed in the recent flash floods and landslides might have brought timely respite to them in the hours of tragedies but Government is yet announce relief measures for those whose houses and crops have been damaged in recent floods and landslides. Horticulture and agriculture departments may be in the process of conducting surveys to assess the losses of crops and revenue department may also be doing so to assesses the damages caused to residential houses in areas hit by flash floods and landslides but precedence of granting relief of about one tenth of the damages caused to crops and residential houses and practice of disbursing such relief too late if not given up by introducing a timeline for disbursement of relief this year would be just eye wash for the victims as usual.
“While disbursement of adequate relief to the people whose houses and crops have been severely damaged by flash floods and landslides besides the apple growers of Kashmir valley in short span of few weeks is the only way to mitigate their sufferings for the Government, the quick response to natural disasters still remains the bigger challenge as the disaster management department has set a very poor track record of responding to the natural disasters be it the case of floods or earthquakes. Unfortunately the Disaster Management Department does not issue even an advance warning in case of forecast of floods and landslide by the meteorological department so that the populations vulnerable to floods and landslides could be evacuated well in time”.
Knowing that victims of recent flash floods and landslides can’t recover from the losses they have suffered without timely relief from the Government, the changes in the practices and procedures for relief to victims of flash floods and landslides pursued for last several decades is the only way to mitigate the sufferings of the victims. Never forget that the apple growers already hit by the hailstorms early summer this have suffered more intense damages in the recent floods and as such a survey about the losses caused to them from this year also deserves immediate and intervention of the Jammu & Kashmir Government .While disbursement of adequate relief to the people whose houses and crops have been severely damaged by flash floods and landslides besides the apple growers of Kashmir valley in short span of few weeks is the only way to mitigate their sufferings for the Government, the quick response to natural disasters still remains the bigger challenge as the disaster management department has set a very poor track record of responding to the natural disasters be it the case of floods or earthquakes. Unfortunately the Disaster Management Department does not issue even an advance warning in case of forecast of floods and landslide by the meteorological department so that the populations vulnerable to floods and landslides could be evacuated well in time.
