J&K once again fails in crisis management
Failure in evolving a futuristic crisis management policy, and forgetting its own decisions, are key factors responsible for J&K government’s messing up smaller challenges like a snowfall.
By Masood Hussain, TNN |
SRINAGAR: Failure in evolving a futuristic crisis management policy, and forgetting its own decisions, are key factors responsible for J&K government���s messing up smaller challenges like a snowfall. Most of the inter-district roads besides the arterial Jammu-Srinagar highway are partially trafficable but the south, that witnessed maximum snow accumulation, is still not accessible.
Gulabbagh, the tiny Gujjar hamlet just a stone���s throw from the highway, where 39 people were rescued by civilians, cops and soldiers would have been a huge tragedy if all the families were in their hutment. Of the 50 households, over 40 had left as part of the routine yearly migration to Jammu.
In follow up to 2005 tragedy ��� when 270 residents died following avalanches and snowstorms ��� certain areas were identified as danger zones for inhabitancy. Gulababgh was one of them. But after the avalanche hit this year, the files are being dusted to see what has been written in them. Avalanches, says a resident Noor Mohammad, are a regular winter happening. ���We actually cannot sleep due to the avalanche fear in winters,��� he said.
Had they been alerted about avalanches, villagers would have fled to safety. Interestingly, Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) ��� an arm of the defence ministry ��� centre was set up in Kashmir after 2005 crisis and its office is located near Jawahar Tunnel ��� barely a few km from this ill-fated hamlet.
In 2005, when an avalanche stormed Waltengu Nar to extinction, Central Disaster Management had promised a Rs 60 crore investment in PWD���s mechanical upgrade. A year later chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad assured Rs 15 crore for getting some severely needed machines. Against all these assurances, the department has purchased one machine, sources said.
Gulabbagh, the tiny Gujjar hamlet just a stone���s throw from the highway, where 39 people were rescued by civilians, cops and soldiers would have been a huge tragedy if all the families were in their hutment. Of the 50 households, over 40 had left as part of the routine yearly migration to Jammu.
In follow up to 2005 tragedy ��� when 270 residents died following avalanches and snowstorms ��� certain areas were identified as danger zones for inhabitancy. Gulababgh was one of them. But after the avalanche hit this year, the files are being dusted to see what has been written in them. Avalanches, says a resident Noor Mohammad, are a regular winter happening. ���We actually cannot sleep due to the avalanche fear in winters,��� he said.
Had they been alerted about avalanches, villagers would have fled to safety. Interestingly, Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) ��� an arm of the defence ministry ��� centre was set up in Kashmir after 2005 crisis and its office is located near Jawahar Tunnel ��� barely a few km from this ill-fated hamlet.
In 2005, when an avalanche stormed Waltengu Nar to extinction, Central Disaster Management had promised a Rs 60 crore investment in PWD���s mechanical upgrade. A year later chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad assured Rs 15 crore for getting some severely needed machines. Against all these assurances, the department has purchased one machine, sources said.
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