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Author: Majid Jahangir
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: October 19, 2005
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=80261
Introduction: 'We need to get a slip from Tah Sahib to get relief'
A day after the J&K Government sidelined a senior official who expressed frustration about ''undue political interference'' in relief operations, Congress minister Taj Mohideen's house at Chandanwadi became the virtual headquarters of the entire relief operation.
A large number of villagers gathered there seeking relief. ''We have come to get a slip from Taj Sahib. Only then can we get some relief,'' said Mohammad Zafar, a resident of Uri town.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Aijaz Kakroo was sidelined after he expressed displeasure over Mohideen's interference. The focus of the relief operation has already shifted to Mohideen's areas of influence. The area ahead of Julu up to Kaman Post-which is still inaccessible-is being ignored. The entire establishment has now focussed on Kamalkote.
''He (Mohideen) had been calling us several times every day to send relief material first to these villages. He even sent his partymen to accompany our officers to take the relief material,'' an official said. ''This led to the rift between him (minister) and Kakroo sahib. They even had an argument just a day before Kakroo sahib was taken off from the relief work.''
Kakroo was the first civil officer to reach the quake-ravaged town. And he had been camping there to oversee the rescue and relief operations.
''It was a tough task and to avoid any favouritism, we authorised the camp officers in various villages to distribute the tents in consultation with village heads,'' says Sub Divisional Magistrate Uri Bashir Ahmed Khan.
Kakroo had divided the entire quake-hit region into two major zones and asked his staff to give priority to the worst-hit villages. In the worst-hit category, Category A, he had put 65 villages and 30 villages were put in Category B.
SDM Khan said they had also dispatched 25 teams of government officials to tour the quake-hit area to assess the damages.
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