Victims still awaits compensation
SNS KASHMIR.
SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 07 :
Seven year after devastating floods from River Jhelum pierced Kashmir Valley causing massive devastation across the state, people are aggrieved against what they term as ‘absolute failure’ of the government in the process of rehabilitation of flood victims.
The aggrieved while speaking to CNS said that despite the then state government’s assurance that they would be provided adequate financial aid against the loans they had taken from banks for reconstruction or repair of their flood-hit homes and shops proved to be the false claims only.
Traders, tourism players, shopkeepers and various other affected groups said that the files pertaining to their rehabilitation are still pending in government offices.
Mushtaq Ahmad from Mehjoor Nagar said that he ran from pillar to post to get the compensation but has lost all hopes now.
“My godown was damaged in 2014 floods. Since then I have been visiting authorities to seek the compensation. When i saw several other people with huge damage also visiting the government offices for same purpose, I lost my hopes of getting any compensation” he said.
There is one case in our locality where a man had got Rs 50,000 compensation four times in four different bank accounts using different variations of his name,” Ali Mohammad, a resident of Bemina, said.
Showing the documents of Revenue Department, Ali Mohammad pointed out that one Mohammad Amin Bhat’s name also figured as ‘Mohd Amin’, ‘M A Bhat’ and ‘Mohammad Amin’ in the list of beneficiaries in Bemina.
Another victim from Indra nagar said that he is yet to receive the assistance under SDRF which was disbursed soon after flood waters receded.
‘’My file was processed for compensation in the deputy commissioner’s office in 2015 but there has been no progress on my case since then. Despite, to know the status of my case I visit the concerned authorities every week’.
As reported earlier, over Rs 500 crore were disbursed among affected families of 2014 devastating floods in Srinagar under Prime Minister’s Development Package, reveals official records.
The total number of residential houses damaged in various categories in 2014 devastating floods remained 77569.
When flood hit Kashmir on September 6, 2014, thousands of people were left stranded inside their submerged houses. Due to incessant rain and overflowing flood channels, the conditions worsened in the following days.
As per the official records, number of fully damaged pacca residential house in 2014 floods in Srinagar was 5526, severally damaged 20813 and partially 51025.
By September 25 that year, the death toll had reached 285. Even after 10 days of the flood, three major hospitals remained closed, while two of them partially resumed their services.
The record further reveals that the number of Kacha fully damaged residential house was 96, severely damaged 54 and partially 55.
The amount, as per official records, disbursed among affected families was over Rs 500.22 crore.
Meanwhile Kashmir Trade Alliance said that no comprehensive package has been announced for the rehabilitation of the Business sector in Kashmir after the 2014 catastrophic floods.
KTA President Ajaz Shahdhar while speaking to CNS said that the catastrophic floods of 2014 had caused a loss of nearly Rs 10 Million crore to the Valley’s economy. He said About Rs 5 Million crore was lost, the same floods and post-floods have caused a loss of Rs 10 Million crore so far, which is still going on.
“State government had proposed Rs 44000 crore to centre government as part of the flood rehabilitation program but central Govt gave nod to only7000 crores, which too were not released fully” He observed
Shahdhar said this has angered people especially the business community in Valley who were worst hit during floods.
He said GoI and the State government have only paid lip service to flood-affected people by not releasing a full rehabilitation package.(CNS)