Nadeem Khan
The unprecedented havoc wrecked by the sudden floods in Jammu and Kashmir which has resulted in more than 200 people losing their lives and over 2600 villages being submerged is nothing less than the apocalypse.
The speed and ferocity with which the entire countryside was engulfed by water made the situation only more critical and the enormity of the catastrophe virtually paralysed the entire administration. Luckily, the army stepped in immediately and with its characteristic efficiency, went about rescuing the marooned people. This task was certainly not easy as it entailed timely evacuation of people from thousands of isolated pockets before they either met a watery grave due to the rapidly rising water levels or got buried under debris of their homes, which could collapse anytime.
However, by braving all odds and working round the clock, the army has managed to evacuate over 20,000 stranded people and move them to safer places. The zeal with which the army has gone about in this task deserves appreciation for more than one reason.
Normally, whenever the army undertakes relief and rescue operations, it has no other encumbrances. However, in this case, the army too was as badly hit by the floods as the civilians and thus, was burdened with the task of taking immediate steps to save its own personnel.
However, in keeping with its noble traditions, the army did not allow its own problems to distract it from its call of duty and sense of social responsibility. It was an extraordinary situation and it goes to the credit of the army that despite its own travails, it still put its entire might to rescue the marooned civilians.
While visuals of soldiers in army boats rescuing civilians or wading precariously through waist deep water while carrying elderly persons on their shoulders were really a reassuring sight, few would know the grave dangers that the army men went through to get these soldiers and boats to the flood affected areas.
With the flood hit areas being submerged underwater, there was no way of knowing whether the approach roads existed anymore or had been washed away. Moreover, many bridges had been swept away by the gushing flood water. Yet, since the trapped civilians had to be rescued before they too were washed away or buried under the debris of buildings where they had sought refuge, time was at a premium and so was the requirement of men and boats reaching these places. Sensing this urgency, the army decided to take the risk of moving heavy trucks loaded with men and boats through waterlogged areas. This was a hazardous task and many times, vehicles were nearly washed away by the swirling gush of floodwater, yet the men in uniform were not deterred and living up to the faith the people had on the army, managed to press rescue teams and boats into service with phenomenal speed.
The audacious decision to take such a risk proved to be a boon as this helped in saving hundreds of lives. The army has deployed 185 relief columns, which working around the clock have managed to rescue over 20,000 trapped civilians. However, the role of the army has not stopped here and in a touching gesture, it has also made arrangements to accommodate over 5,000 rescued civilians in shelters, providing them food and medical facilities. It is heartening to see the army, which is itself grappling with the severe damage caused by the deluge extending help to civilians. It is also inspiring to note that the army has not let the dangers inherent in conducting flood relief rescue operations come in the way of its efforts. While using a boat in a river under normal conditions is no big deal, but venturing out once it is in spate is something which requires more than raw courage, as the fast river currents can easily overturn a boat. So, accidents during flood relief operations are not uncommon and one such unfortunate accident did occur in Pulwama District when an army boat while negotiating the Jhelum River capsized. In this tragic accident, one army officer and one soldier lost their lives
However, even after this tragic incident, the army has continued to carryout rescue operations with the same vigour and could there be any better example than this of its genuine concern for the safety of the civilians? The thousands rescued by the army are all praises for the men in uniform and after seeing how Army men, defying all odds and putting their lives in grave danger rescued civilians, are now even more convinced that the Indian Army is there for the Awaam. The genuine concern for the safety of civilians trapped by the flood waters displayed by army men and the timely assistance provided will surely further strengthen fraternal bond between the army and the locals.
However, this would surely make the ‘army baiters’ feel dejected and they will certainly find ways to trivialise the assistance which the army has rendered by saying that it is merely performing its duty. However, even the most vociferous critics of the army cannot ignore the fact that the zeal and spirit with which the army is performing this task goes much beyond merely doing one’s duty. The separatists who always try to project the army in J and K as being “anti-people” and an “occupational force” may not have liked TV footage showing rescued civilians expressing their profound gratitude to the army for coming to their aid and providing them timely assistance.
The very fact that the Hurriyat conglomerate has maintained a complete silence on the stellar role being played by the army in saving civilian lives confirms that it is extremely upset that the anti army sentiments it had generated through propaganda has once again been undone by the army by its helpful actions. When I asked an army officer whether he found the silence of the Hurriyat leaders on the army’s relief and rescue mission surprising, he replied, “We are here for the people of J and K and what the Hurriyat thinks or says is immaterial. We have the goodwill of the ‘Awaam’ and for us ultimately it’s this which really matters!”