87,000 flood-ravaged houses and counting
5 months on, devastation figures mount as admin discovers more losses
Part I
What was initially pegged at 70,000, the number of damaged residential houses in September-2014 floods has recently crossed 87,000 mark in the City. While government opines the loss assessment has almost been completed, the unconvinced flood-victims say the exercise is far from over even as they continue to demand reassessment.
With no let up in public grievances into re-evaluation of losses in the deadly deluge, the administration continues to discover a whole new lot of damaged structures, mostly residential houses in the summer capital spanning over seven Tehsils. This excludes thousands of business establishments, mostly shops, equally devastated and waiting for a much-needed rehabilitation package.
THE SEGREGATION
The government has classified the ravaged structures into Partially, Severely and Fully damaged depending on the constructions as Pacca or Kacha. While the largest number structures, mostly declared Partially Damaged, fall in Shalteng Tehsil at 29,246, the South Tehsil tops the list of fully-damaged houses at 3,034.
Official documents reveal that 86,204 residential houses were damaged in the floods of which 5142 houses were declared completely destroyed. This figure has risen since January assessment when the total was put at 73,000.
Though the number of deaths in Srinagar due to floods has officially been 40, the infrastructural damage in the summer capital has been highest, much more than the aggregate of loses in other districts where the number of damaged houses was reported at 65,000.
‘SYMBOLIC RELIEF’
Official documents reveal that “Rs 85.74 crore has been distributed among the house owners as relief while flood affectees living in rented accommodations are being provided Rs 5000/- per month.”
The ex gratia given to fully damaged houses till now has been Rs 75,000 from the state and Rs one lakh from the Prime Minister’s relief fund. As the summer capital rarely houses any Kacha houses, the Severely damaged were sanctioned Rs 12,800 relief and Partially damaged at Rs 3800.
PM’S LATEST INTERVENTION
On February 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Rs 426.83 crore from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) as aid to people whose houses were severely to partially damaged in last year’s devastating floods in J&K. An official spokesman said this aid will benefit 1.87 lakh affected persons.
The financial assistance now approved by the Prime Minister envisages additional assistance of Rs 50,000 for severely damaged ‘pacca’ house, Rs 25,000 for partially damaged ‘pacca’ house, Rs 10,000 for severely damaged ‘kacha’ house and Rs 5,000 for partially damaged ‘kacha’ houses.
The financial assistance, the official spokesman said, will be distributed through National Disaster Management Authority which would finalize the data of admissible beneficiaries in consultation with the State Government and transfer the assistance directly to the existing bank accounts of beneficiaries or through the newly opened Aadhar-linked Jhan Dhan Yojna accounts.
UPHILL TASK
Officials say damage assessment in Srinagar remained an uphill task with workload around 10 times more than any other flood affected districts. This summer capital remained exceptional even for inundation duration. The flood waters which rose to first and second floors declined to recede for around a month from south City areas like Raj Bagh, Shiv Pora and Karan Nagar forcing thousands for mass migration, many of whom continue to live away from their devastated dwellings.
The administration says it faced hindrances in survey and relief work on multiple fronts. But five months on since floods hit Srinagar on September 6, why is the number of damaged structures growing? Why are thousands of flood victims unconvinced? Has the assessment been accurate?
(To be concluded)
