It’s the 25th day after floods hit Kashmir but still nothing is happening on ground: MM Hussain
‘JK
government lacks in coordination ’
Mohammad Majid Hussain, the Mayor
of Hyderabad city, is the youngest Mayor in India at present. He has held the
position for the last three years. Hyderabad is home to a population of over 90
lakhs. MM Hussain is also a member of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul
Muslimeen. He is presently in Kashmir, spearheading the ongoing relief send by
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. In a thorough interaction with Rising Kashmir
Online Editor Daanish
Bin Nabi, he expressed his views on the ongoing situation of Kashmir,
relief work and the incompetence of the State government to deal with the
ongoing crisis in Kashmir.
·
What made you visit Srinagar at this time?
It is on the direction of Assadudin Owaisi, the president of
AIMIM, that I am in Srinagar. Owaisi sahab has directed me to supervise the relief
work of AIMIM in Kashmir. Owaisi sahab always has been sympathetic to the
people of Kashmir. And in this hour of need our party is doing everything to
reach to flood affected people of Kashmir. Our president visited Kashmir on the
fourth day of the floods. He had monitored the situation from every corner of
the city. He met many people and did a pilot survey also, and on basis of that
survey he directed me to supervise the relief work in Kashmir. It’s on his
direction that we are working with our partner Rising Kashmir Foundation. All
these camps are organized and managed by Rising Kashmir Foundation under our
supervision. While, he was in Srinagar, he arranged a medical camp and food
relief in Srinagar.
·
How many areas you have visited?
So, far we have had medical camps at Narbal, Sopore, Gogji Bagh
and Bemina. We have also visited Zalpora and Nowgam area of Bandipora district.
When I visited the areas of Bandipora district I wept when saw the condition of
these people. Cows, goats, hens and humans are living in one shed in
these areas of Bandipora. People don’t have even basic necessities like milk
for their Nun Chai (local Kashmiri tea). People in these areas are living in
pathetic condition. Around 2400 kannals of paddy fields have been destroyed in these
areas. In Zalpora, not even one government official has visited the area.
People are suffering very badly in these areas. These are the areas we have
visited and organized medical camps with the help of Rising Kashmir Foundation.
·
What are your views on present government in
Kashmir?
As far as I am concerned we have come to Kashmir only to help and
stand with the people of Kashmir with whatever relief that I have, with
whatever relief I can accommodate, and help the people of Kashmir in the best
way I can. I am not here to point fingers at the government but surely things
have to be buckled up by the administration and should be moved on a larger
scale. I am not here to criticize the present government but things need to
move more quickly, as they should be moving. So that relief should be
carried out in a proper way. At least the sanitation by SMC should catch up.
·
What kind of relief do you have for the people
of Kashmir? Will there be any extended rehabilitation program?
When Assad Sahab visited Kashmir he did a detailed survey. He has
taken inputs from everyone, like what kind of medicines are needed and what
kind of shortages are there in Kashmir at present. Commonly prescribed
medicines are available and as he took input of all these things, we have come
up with a medical relief of around 2400 kgs which we brought with us. And apart
from that we are also coming up with the food relief. We are focusing on
families. This relief will be given to the affected families and we have made a
special packet for them. A family can serve itself for at least a month on the
contents of the packet. All essential commodities are contained in these
packets, like rice, bucket, blankets, tooth brushes and every thing that one
needs for daily use.
·
Do you think state government is doing enough
for the people?
I am quite surprised that after 25 days some areas of the city are
still flooded. Srinagar is the nerve center of J&K state and main parts of
the city are still inundated and non-functional. Twenty-four days is too long a
time today for a city to recover. Same is the case with sanitation which has
not been done properly till now in city center and other areas of the city. The
sanitation drive by SMC should be on a larger scale which unfortunately is still
not visible on ground. I agree that municipal corporation may not have that
manpower for a larger sanitation program but they could have easily coordinated
with other municipal corporations and seek help from them. It is all about
being open in these circumstances. Definitely they would have lent a helping
hand but unfortunately J&K government is not coordinating with anyone.
·
Do Srinagar Municipal Corporation and State
government lack in coordination?
What I have seen so far here, that is the case. It’s now 25 days
after the floods hit Kashmir but still nothing is happening on ground. It
simply makes one understand the situation. In my city, we have 4500 metric tons
of garbage everyday and in times of emergency we have a contingency plan about
how to clear the city within one or maximum two days. So, these kinds of things
have to be taken care of. Yes, there could be shortage of staff and other
hindrances may have come in their way but planning is more important and
municipal corporation and state government is lacking in almost everything here
in Kashmir. Both these institutions are meant to do the planning and work in
crisis but no such effort is seen in Kashmir.
·
What immediate steps do you suggest that state
government should take?
State government should provide an open hand to Srinagar Municipal
Corporation to spearhead the sanitation work so that they come up with the best
possible way to clean the entire city. At the same time government should
assist them in every possible way they can. As I said, from past one week I
have visited almost entire city but everything is in the same condition with
dirt and filth everywhere.
·
Apart from removing garbage, what do you think
should be done?
There should be an immediate water plan for the stagnated water.
There are chances of water-borne diseases so appropriate medicine should be
made available on large scale and supplied to each and every corner of Kashmir.
The focus however should be to get rid of the stagnated water. There has to be
a major drive for all these issues so that every disease is prevented from its
onset.
·
In your view what should Government of India do
for the flood victims in Kashmir?
Government of India should organise the relief on a very large
scale.
·
What about international aid to Kashmir?
India should allow international aid to Kashmir and should follow
a proper policy for the implementation of that aid. And surely Asad Sahab will
have his views on this issue also. With terms to state government or with terms
to country’s policy, rather parliament will decide on this. I think Assaduddin
Owaisi is in better position to answer this question.
·
Will Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen take up
the issue of international aid in Parliament?
Let me make it very clear that Assad Sahab has always stood by the
people of Kashmir. And our party will do everything for the benefit of
the Kashmiri people. We will try our best on this issue also.
·
What was the most disturbing scene to you so
far?
In entire city of Bemina the smell was killing and the area is
still flooded. In Rajbagh, the situation is still pathetic after 25 days and
smell is also horrible in this area. I have also visited one particular place
in Narbal where a house was completely damaged, and I was told by the locals
that this house has been declared as partially damaged. That was really a
horrifying scene. Definitely, the government has to rethink on its
rehabilitation policy and make sure that justice is done to the people of
Kashmir.
·
What are your views on short and long term
policy of the government?
A strong sanitation drive is need of the hour and should be
priority right now. Second, the interim relief work is going on, there are lots
of NGOs and many other people are also working but the interim relief is only a
beginning. There has to be work to be done on setting infrastructure right and
after that the major challenge is to cover up the financial losses because we
have seen hectares of cultivation land that has been completely destroyed by these
devastating floods. There is lot of financial burden that has fallen upon the
state and compensation needs to be taken care of for all these losses. That
should be government’s long term policy, to look after these people. And at
this particular time government should stand by them.
