Clearer picture of the catastrophe is emerging as one interacts with those who have faced the devastation personally and reduced from riches to rags overnight. With palatial residential mansions in posh areas like Rajbagh and roaring business in the business hubs like Lal Chowk, godowns full to capacity awaiting autumn season tourism, they were forced to make shift shelter homes in school buildings-that too are now required for restarting classes.
Areas like Allochi Bagh, Bemina, Raj Bagh, Jawahar Nagar, Parimpora, Tengpora and Wazirbagh are yet under water. With over 220 pumps procured from the main land the water flushing procedure is on and may take another few weeks. The extrication of water does not end the misery. The water standing for so long has filled up the septic tanks, soakage pits underground drains, graves, garbage dumps and all what is sub-soil including sub-soil life of rodents, snails, insects, bacteria. The slush left behind will thus be most contaminated and lead to infections and scores of deceases.
A major overhaul is thus needed, besides reconstructing life, localities and institutes. With the trek record of J and K state based agencies and administrative set up, such massive projects may take time under the systems fully exposed for inefficacy, absence of commitment, dedication and discipline. The seat of power called the secretariat is yet to get operational.
Hence, besides the reconstructive overhaul, an administrative overhaul is also equally required. The elections are not likely on time and there may have to be a transitory period to have Governor’s rule to fill the gap. Such period should be fully utilised to overhaul the administrative set up. The present failed political leadership of all hues will do good by taking a self-imposed holiday from active politics and devote themselves for social rebuilding of a disciplined, nationalist rational society and join the overhauling process by permitting a new political order to emerge that will not allow criminals to roam free and call shots, not give stones to children in place of books, not teach the pseudo Jihad in place of academics in arts, culture, languages and science. They have made enough ‘hay during bright sunny days’. Let this monsoon leave a lesson for them to voluntarily retire-enough has been enough.