One of the survivors of the recent Uttrakhand landslide tragedy, which left eight labourers of Uri dead and two others injured, is struggling hard in the absence of any financial assistance from the state government.
Eight labourers from Uri town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district were killed while two others were injured in a landslide incident near a construction site of Char Dham all-weather road in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district last month.
Altaf Ahmad Hajam, one of the survivors who hails from Mothal, a remote village close to the line of control in Uri, had a narrow escape in the incident. However, serious injury inflicted in the incident has left him bedridden. “He has suffered multiple fractures in ribs, legs and arm. He cannot stand,” said Farooq Ahmad Bhat, relative of the injured labour.
The family of the injured labour said the injury to their family head has decimated the family. They said that due to poverty they were unable to get him admitted in a good hospital.
“Ever since my father was brought in an injured condition, we have been unable to shift him to a hospital as we cannot effort travel charges. The treatment charges aside, we are struggling for two meals. The state administration should come forward and on humanitarian basis provide financial assistance to us,” said Naqasha Begum wife of injured Altaf Ahmad Hajam.
Living in abject poverty, bedridden Altaf has no money to bear treatment charges. “The state administration has failed to provide any financial assistance neither has bothered to know the fate of this survivor,” said Naqasha.
Father of 11 children including 8 daughters, Altaf, while recalling the incident said he along with his fellow villagers left for Uttrakhand December last. However, while working on a construction site in the lap of a hillock, a sudden landslide struck and left them buried under a mould.
“I was buried for several hours under the debris and once I regained consciousness I found myself in a local hospital. My other colleagues were dead in the incident,” said Altaf.
Close to the line of control, Mothal village comprises of around 25-30 households. The only source of income for the local residents here is to either work as a porter with the army or do some manual work.
The sub-divisional Magistrate Uri while talking to the Greater Kashmir said that they have prepared a proposal for financial assistance as well as pension for the affected family. “The survivor has more than 50 percent disability and can be financially assisted as well as a brought under the ambit of pension scheme under social welfare department. We have submitted a proposal to higher ups and hope it will be extended to the family soon,” said Baseer Ahmad, SDM Uri.