JKNPP goes on dharna against govt 'failure' on quake relief

Members of Jammu and Kashmir opposition party JKNPP today went on a day-long dharna to protest against the alleged lapses on the part of the administration in providing relief and rehabilitation to quake-hit people in the state.
Protesters at the dharna called by the J-K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) slammed the National Conference-led government for its alleged failure to aid the people of Chenab valley and demanded urgent relief measures.
"Both the state and Central governments have failed to reach out to the quake-hit people... No rehabilitation or relief operation has been launched," alleged party president and MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia at the dharna in front of Press Club here.

The Prime Minister had announced 10,000 tents for the quake-hit areas, but even after 15 days have passed, only 3,000 tents have been provided to the affected families, Mankotia alleged.
He also charged that although several ministers had been deputed to the temblor-hit areas of Doda and Kishtwar, they had done nothing except visiting only some of the affected zones.
Mankotia said his party had formed a 21-member team headed by their state president to take stock of the situation.

In its visits to quake-hit areas in Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts, the team had allegedly found grave lapses on the part of the administration in providing quake relief, Mankotia said.

While lauding the role of the Army and paramilitary, he also urged the Union government to send a central team to assess the loss and take necessary action.
The state has experienced a series of tremors in recent days with the biggest magnitude earthquake, measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale, occurring on May 1 in Bhaderwah and adjoining areas.
Two persons were killed and scores of others injured in the temblor, while 60,000 houses were damaged due to subsequent tremors as per preliminary assessment reports.