J&K floods: Rulers of paradise' fight over medicines, baby food

SRINAGAR: The Islamia High School in Rajouri Kadal, a 10-minute drive from Kashmir University, is spread across half-an-acre. On Wednesday, it had women and children strolling and lounging themselves on spare green patches. Some were nursing their babies, some trying to set up homes. They'll probably have to live here for the next one month. Their houses around the Dal lake are still submerged.
Around 60,000 people live around the Dal, which includes 'haenz' (the boat people) and local folk in low-lying areas. Most of the displacement in Srinagar occurred from here. These people moved to relief camps in Ishber in Nishat Bagh, Islamia High School at Rajouri Kadal, Government Girls' School at Sada Kadal, Rainawari, Kashmir University, Gurudwara at Sanath Nagar. These are some of the biggest relief camps in Srinagar today with more than 3,000 people living in each camp.
Schools, colleges, marriage halls, masjids and gurudwaras have all turned into make-shift aid homes where people wait for trucks with supplies to arrive. As Mohammad Ameen Khan at Saida Kadal relief camp at Government Girls High School put it, “Shah aesith gaey gada (from being rulers of paradise, we are reduced to paupers).”
Fights break out over distribution of medicines and baby food – the two essentials in short supply. Used diapers are left to dry in the sun and are re-used. Most people are suffering from hypertension and chest infections. Every relief camp is short of insulin.
Nazir Bhat of Bemina said he went back and forth five times asking the Army and the police for relief supplies for his locality. He said he was asked for a character certificate from his local police station. When he got the certificate, the Army at the airport asked him to get permission from the same police station to allow the truck in. Then, as he moved to the airport again, he was told to get the truck himself.
“I haven't seen the government for the past seven days. People are dying from lack of medicines and drinking water. Where are its fire services, its disaster cells, its ministers?” asked a volunteer at Jamia school, who did not want to be named.
“There have been instances of locals refusing to accept aid from Delhi or from Christian missionaries at Islamia High,” said a volunteer. Islamia High School is located, for context, in Rajouri Kadal, a separatist stronghold. But despite protests better sense has prevailed so far.

Kashmir University's huge camps, including lecture halls, classrooms and grounds are now home to over 4,000 people. This may be the biggest relief camp in Kashmir right now. Queues at least 100m long form during lunch and dinner hours. The place looks like a venue readying for a live rock concert.
Doctors at Jamia school, Kashmir University and Sanath Nagar, Gurudwara (the best managed among relief camps) said they fear epidemic outbreak because of dense population. They are vulnerable to infections from water-borne diseases. Animal carcasses float in inundated lanes. People live between hope of being saved and the dread of brute uncertainty of the future.