BJP 'kar seva' today as quake-hit become restive

By Manas Dasgupta

BHUJ, APRIL 1. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat is launching a ``kar seva'' on the occasion of ``Ram Navmi'' tomorrow to provide voluntary help to the quake-affected people for reconstruction of the collapsed houses in an atmosphere charged with seething anger.

With their conditions remaining unchanged even 65 days after the calamity struck, mainly due to the inordinate delay in taking decisions on rehabilitation and reconstruction, the people's anger is now directed against the ruling party.

In fact, many BJP legislators and senior leaders were apprehensive of launching the ``kar seva,'' fearing that the gesture may not be appreciated by the people. Some senior officials, posted for relief and rehabilitation in the worst- affected Kutch district, had admitted earlier that the delay in providing at least temporary shelters to the roofless people could give rise to serious law and order problems.

Almost the entire population is still compelled to live in the open or have tarpaulin or hot galvanised iron sheets over its heads. The district officials admitted that no arrangement could be made for about 40 per cent of the affected. Among the rest, less than 20 per cent could procure a tent, the most sought after shelter.

Most of the Ministers who visit the district prefer to remove the red light atop their cars to avoid attracting attention. Protest rallies, `morchas' and dharnas have become a routine feature in Kutch and other affected areas.

In Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of the State, the people, whose houses collapsed or were declared unsafe requiring demolition, launched a day-long dharna last week to draw attention to Government apathy.

Not only did the Government's efforts to provide them with alternative accommodations fall short of the requirement but no step had been initiated with financial institutions and housing societies to solve the problem of outstanding dues against the loans taken for the collapsed houses.

Beyond declaring a reconstruction package under which the Government agreed to provide an assistance of up to Rs. 1.75 lakhs for each collapsed flat and arrange for easy loans up to Rs. 3 lakhs, it has failed to take any step for the rehabilitation of the people.

Even the meagre help the Government promised was not available to those who had outstanding dues against the collapsed houses. And the financial institutions were unwilling to release the relevant documents in the absence of Governmental intervention.

While the people of Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar and Rapar have been hit by the Government's indecision over relocation, in the rural areas reconstruction has been halted by the delay in finalising the adoption policy of the villages by voluntary organisations and industrial houses.

Even the survey to decide the quantum of Government assistance, based on the extent of damage, is yet to be completed and finalised.

The two MPs from Kutch district, Mr. Pushpadan Gadhavi and Mr. Anant Dave, have expressed their anguish over the ``criminal negligence'' of the Keshubhai Patel Government in providing relief and rehabilitation. Rumblings were also heard from the BJP members of the State Assembly during the just- concluded budget session.

At a recent meeting with a senior Minister of the Patel Cabinet, many people in Bhuj demanded that either the Government finalise the rehabilitation package at the earliest or withdraw from the scene, leaving people to fend for themselves. In an expression of lack of confidence in the Government efforts, many, particularly in the rural areas, have started rebuilding their houses using the collapsed material.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : I didn't canvass for a particular set of films:
           Dhritiman
Next     : 'Exim policy has failed IT hardware sector'