West Bengal Co-Ordination committee of Central Govt. Employees sent
Relief to Utterakhand: a memorable experience.
Brief from Com. Goutam
Praminick
.
Three representatives of the Co-Ordination
Committee of Central Govt. Employees & Workers Unions and Associations,West
Benglal reached “Rorkhar Bung” in Ukhimath Tehessil in Rudraprayag district,
Uttarkhand on 26th October 2013 with
relief materials like food and woolen materials for three hundred families
living in the area. Stay of the comrades was arranged by Com Rajaram Semwal of
CITU.
On way to Kedar, at on attitude of 7000ft., villagers of Fata, Uttarkhand have
been earning livelihood for decades by providing service to the
million of pilgrims and tourist throughout the year. They lost all means of
livelihood like ponneys, mules, wayside tea stalls. Everything was ruined and
sole earning members of the many families were killed in disaster that took
place on 16th June 2013.
A picture of devastation was visible everywhere. No road exists after
Rudraprayag. In fact trucks loaded with relief material and car carrying
volunteers rolled on avalanches to reach destination. Debris and ruins of roads
and buildings were visible all along in road side.
State govt. assured free ration for all for three months. Sending ration needs
road transport. In absence of road, question of transport is far from sight.
Stat Govt. acted most callously. However when Central Govt. stepped in with
Border Road organization, road construction work got some pace. Shockingly,
Border Road organization, as alleged, cared a little for construction as well as
environmental norms. For example during construction work garbage and derbies
are thrown into riverbeds which affects ecological system of the state
severely.
However as the main opposition political party was
very keen, Uttarakhand Government lost no time to repair Kedarnath temple and
regular worship started within a short period. Helipads were built in many
places and helicopter service for ferrying rich devotees to Kedarnath temple in
exchange of hefty amount were arranged promptly. Redundant to mention, many
businessmen found here a new area for brisk business.
There leaders of Central Govt. Employees Co-Ordination Committee, West
Bengal Com. Goutam Pramanik, Com. Arup chatterjee and Com. Shyamalendu
Ghosh reached Fata village with three hundred packs of relief material each
pack contained five kgs of rice, five kgs of Atta, one ltr of mustered oil, two
and half kgs of sugar, one kg Sooji, one kg salt, two kgs of pulse, five
hundred grams of tea leaves, packets of spices like cumin, chilli, turmeric,
coriander power, soaps, detergent, toothpaste and also a pullover, a blanket
and a cap.
On 27th October 2013. the team reached Phata village .Com Judhbir of Uttarkhand
Central Govt. employees Co-Ordination Committee and science movement activists
Com. Indresh Notial Com.Kamalesh accompanied them In three Villages
three hundred packs of relief material were handed over to three hundred
families. Leaders of Central govt. Employees got an unforgettable experience
when women, children and old villagers came down with basket of cane, received
the materials and thanked passionately with indigenous style and
language. Yet the story of agony and terrible memories of losing nearest
kin on the day of deluge moved all the activists who were present.
It is understandable that the relief provide was inadequate. Even the relief
work that is being done in the devastated area (mainly by left political
parties and some mass organization ) is by no way near the minimum need of the
seriously affected people. The only silver living, as learnt from Com. Vijay
Rawat ,Vice president of CITU is the programme of movement going to be launched
by CPI(M) in the month of November 2013 on the demand of compensation, road
construction and relief with restoration of public distribution
system.
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