It was sad to read the report, “ >Lack of relief fuels anger in J&K ” (Sept. 14). Rescue operations by the armed forces in flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir deserve praise. The people of the State must understand that it takes time to reach out to the needy. The task that lies ahead is enormous and will take months to complete. Impatience will not solve anything. At the same time, the State and Central governments must step up the supply of essential items and medicines as winter is not far away.
Nidhi Singh,Roorkee, Uttarakhand
The suddenness and the ferociousness of the floods would have taken any administration by surprise. The presence of the armed forces along with the NDRF certainly minimised the loss of lives. What is unfortunate is that the media are encouraging the blame game when the focus should be on helping the administration with rescue and rehabilitation. All along, every State in the Indian Union has depended on our armed forces for disaster management. Any deficiencies in the disaster management operation could have been discussed later after rescue and rehabilitation work was complete. Everyone should know that despite there being warning systems being in place, natural calamities can strike at any time and take everyone by surprise.
L. Venkatakrishnan,Coimbatore
The unprecedented floods in Kashmir have brought untold misery and also played havoc with the lives and vocations of many. It makes all concerned citizens wonder why our country does not possess suitable technology and manpower to harness flood waters and divert them to water-starved regions. We take pride in saying that we have built a railway line in Kashmir along most difficult terrain. We have made a mark at the international level by launching satellites from our own facilities at a lower cost than elsewhere. Our young boys and girls are in the forefront of furthering the frontiers of computer technology. Why then can we not find a lasting and permanent solution to these recurring floods? More than 60 years after Independence, it has almost become routine to conduct aerial surveys of flood-affected areas while countless others suffer without safe drinking water. The interlinking of rivers is an idea whose time has come.
V.A.S. Ragavan,Chennai
