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Cash handed over to Kashmiri quake victims
by Rajneesh Parihans

      Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir): Officials in Jammu and Kashmir have handed over cash cheques of Rs 40, 000 each (909 dollars) to over two dozen earthquake-hit families in the state's Poonch region. The Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and Transport, Raman Bhalla, gave away the cheques, which were the state government's first installment of cash relief to families whose houses had been destroyed by the October 8 earthquake so that they could start construction work before winter sets in. Last week, 27 cheques of the same value amounting to 1.8 lakh rupees were distributed among the quake victims. Bhalla also instructed officials to assess the damage and identify victims in the interiors of the state as quickly as possible so that relief could be distributed to them promptly. "I discovered during my survey that there are some areas where relief was being provided again and again, while some remote areas where very poor people lived were left out. Hence, we decided to give relief cheques to people who are living in such remote areas," said Jeet Lal Gupta, the state's relief commissioner.

    In addition to cash assistance, the government had distributed more than 1,400 quintals of rice and 900 quintals of wheat flour till last week. In Kupwara district, a cash compensation of Rs.4.5 crore has been distributed to people in the worst ravaged Karnah sub-district. "I was one of the people who suffered total loss. I am thankful to the government that it is giving some amount to build our houses," said Kewal Tandon, an earthquake victim. The October 8 earthquake, the strongest to hit South Asia in a century, has claimed the lives of over 73,000 in Pakistan and over 1,400 in Indian Kashmir. Winters are always brutal in this part of the world - snowstorms and avalanches killed 300 in Jammu and Kashmir last season - and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) predicts another tough one this year. Villages and districts are cut off from the rest of the world, sometimes for months. As well as putting up community centres, the government is supplying money and tin sheeting for survivors to build their own shelters. Snow is already falling in the higher reaches of the northern state. From December to February, overnight temperatures plunge to as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius here - or minus 20 Celsius at higher altitudes.