It’s a hot sunny morning today for many of us, but in one corner of the country, 16 people lie trapped in darkness under tons of bricks, cold and shivering, at Chadoora area in Budgam district of Kashmir. Unseasonal excessive rains in Kashmir caused the Jhelum river to rise above the danger mark, flooding the entire valley. These 16 people were taking shelter inside their house, waiting for the rescue operation, when their house collapsed and went underwater yesterday. Rescuers are trying their level best to clear it up, but similar situations have cropped up all over the valley.
Hundreds of stories of people drowning, of missing people who have gotten washed away by floodwaters, of people trapped under debris when their houses collapsed, are coming in from all parts of Southern Kashmir. This flood comes barely seven months after the devastating floods last year that had all but completely destroyed the valley. Once again, hundreds of people have become homeless.
Many of them have been evacuated to relief camps set up by the army and civic authorities. But when the floodwaters recede, they won’t have any home to return to. In many cases, this is the second time in seven months that some families have lost members, their possessions and even their houses. Some have not even been able to recover from the first flood, let alone cope with the second one.
The Indian government is pumping in money to keep the rescue operations going and provide emergency relief to the people. But food, water, dry clothing, blankets and medicine are all in scarcity. Besides money is needed to rehabilitate the people and repair the homes when the floodwaters dry up.
Many of you probably did your bit for the cause seven months during the J&K floods and donated funds and supplies. Good going!
But J&K is flooded again today, before they even had a chance to recover from the previous one. It is imperative that we as fellow Indians rise to the cause and rush to their help. If we are able to provide warmth and shelter for even one person, we as Indians, as human beings have done our bit. Let us all pledge together to help our fellow citizens in the valley.
Interested people could either donate to the Prime Minister’s relief fund payable online at https://pmnrf.gov.in/ or the J&K Chief Minister’s relief fund payable to Chief Minister Flood Relief Fund, J&K Bank, Moving Secretariat Branch, Account No 0110040100001275.
People may also donate in kind, through supplies like blankets, medical kits, canned baby food via numerous NGOs who have set up relief campaigns. Many of them even have options for funds to either provide shelter for five families, food for two families or hygiene kit.
Just google your options online and find an option that satisfies you and do your bit for the flood victims in Kashmir. You could even organise a collection drive at your workplace.
Please take care not to send perishables like food or torn, castaway clothes, because they deserve the dignity of decent living too.
Image courtesy: Reuters
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