Airports Disrupt Relief Movement, Volunteers

KL Report

SRINAGAR

For the last three days airports at Delhi and Srinagar are creating obstructions in the movement of relief material, volunteers associated with various groups alleged. While the cargo at Delhi airport is being deliberately denied a preference, officials at the Srinagar airport have halted movement of trucks to lift whatever lands here.

“For the last three days, we are not getting any material because the supply chain is disrupted,” a volunteer associated with Kashmir Volunteers in Delhi Flood Relief (KVDFR) said. “We have been sourced relief from some Chenab Valley towns to manage the flood affected population that we have been tackling in area still away from government attention.”

One of its volunteers who flew from Delhi on Sunday said a huge carton of vital life saving medicines – mostly injections, was taken for safe handling but are yet to reach us. “I have made a compliant with the airline but I am yet to get any clue,” Baba Tameem said. “Even if they trace it after three days now, most of it is not worth use because it has a insulin.”

Qazi Zaid, one of the team leaders said they have around seven ton of relief ready in Delhi. “Let us see if they can help us fly this cargo well in time because thousands of people are in desperate need for that,” Zaid said. “At Srinagar airport, they are permitting the movement of trucks between 6 pm and 8 pm which is quite odd for distribution even if we manage driving it to our centre in Srinagar.”

The group had to manage an ambulance the drive a critical consignment of medicines Monday morning.

“There are no issues involved other than the bureaucratic hurdles,” a senior volunteer of the group said. “We have informed all the top officials in the government and state’s political executive but I do not know why it is not being sorted out.” Initially, he said, there was free access and nobody had any problem. “All of a sudden new schedules are being enforced at enormous costs to the people who need help,” he said. “The government must understand the emergency is not over, it still exists.”

KVDFR was one of the first organized responses to the catastrophe by Kashmiri students and professionals studying outside J&K. They have worked round the clock on multiple fronts to arrange relief in Delhi and later manage its distribution to most vulnerable sections within and outside city. Their activities include rescue – now mostly over, sending food and basic necessities to the people who are voluntarily staying put in marooned belts and offering medical help.

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