2014 Deluge: 4 years later, flood victims still in deep water

Srinagar: On the anniversary of September-2014 floods, the stakeholders said many of them were yet to receive the relief promised by the government.

Devastating floods hit most parts of the Srinagar city on September 7, 2014, after the embankments of the river Jhelum breached at a number of places.

A satellite-based assessment carried out jointly by the department of   environment & remote sensing and ISRO revealed that   2014 floods inundated 557 sq-kms of the valley and affected at least 22 lakh people.

A trader from Srinagar’s commercial hub of Lal Chowk, Kishen Lal, who deals with vehicle spare parts, told The Kashmir Monitor said that he has not received any flood relief.

“The shopkeepers were to be given Rs 8 lakh each. Goods worth six lakhs were damaged in my shop. I approached the concerned authorities for relief, but despite assurances I was not provided any kind of relief,” Lal said.

“It is quite unfortunate that genuine victims were deprived of the flood relief. Many of those not helped by the government are struggling to revive their business.”

Living in downtown’s Sakidafar area, Moulvi Yasin a cleric has left the hope of getting any relief.

“We were to get Rs 49, 000 rupees, but we were only paid Rs 3,800. I ran after the concerned authorities, but got only assurances. What repairs can we done with Rs 3,800,” he said.

“It is good that our J&K Bank contributed Rs 11 crore for Kerala flood victims. But wasn’t it their responsibility to do something similar for the people who form the majority of their clientele?”

A shopkeeper at Ganta Ghar, Haji Ghulam Rasool, dealing with readymade garments, said his sufferings since 2014 have not ceased yet.

“I have been pushed to the wall.  Goods worth Rs 5 lakhs were damaged. I was only paid Rs 3,800.I fail to understand as to why the government has been adopting a lackadaisical approach,” he said.