Today at least talks are on at various levels to counter the threat of earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir as predicted by the US agency. The American agency has forecast jolt of 8 point on the Richter Scale. No one can imagine the scale of devastation such a powerful quake can cause to property and lives. After the forecast near home Bhadarwah was shaken twice though at intensity as low as 3 point. In fact the 2014 floods in the State should have been an eye opener for the agencies and the government dealing with natural calamities. With haphazard constructions in the face of no town planning for any city the mushroom growth of cities themselves are a hazard on human lives. With narrow and dingy lanes rescue operations become all the more difficult in such a situation. It was because of army, air force and paramilitary forces the rescue operations were effective in 2014 floods whether it was right at the heart of Srinagar or at a remote inaccessible village of Doda, Udhampur or Kishtwar. Though State has its disaster management agency but the efficacy of such an agency during the need of the hour is doubtful. Most of the personnel inducted in the agency are from the State Police and hardly has any exposure in crisis management. Even a country like Japan which is prone to earthquakes has not been able to counter the wrath with all its technology at its hand and what to talk of Jammu and Kashmir which is nascent in use of technology in disaster management. Had not been for the Indian Army, the flood control in 2014 for the State agencies would have been an impossible task. Later on State Police and political machinery did a image damage control by taking the credit for flood control management and rescue of the people. The unplanned cities would be the biggest bane for Jammu and Kashmir if an earthquake of point 8 on Richter Scale strikes.
