Stones have become the symbol of revolt against the government and especially the Indian army in Kashmir for a long time. Stone pelting became symbolic of discontent, outrage, dissatisfaction and protests for the citizens of Kashmir. The issue of Kashmir is very old and it will take a lot of time to get it resolved.
But the resolution seems so far that hard-liners and separatist groups are encouraging its citizen to take strong measures against the establishment. Till the time, the issue is resolved the common people can undergo only suffering at the hands of militants and opportunist political groups.
The floods in Kashmir, though devastating helped to salvage the image of the Indian army in the eye of its people. The zeal and enthusiasm with which the army people worked day and night to save people from the flood-hit areas and provided them with food and water supplies were really commendable.
But the interesting thing to observe was the reaction of people who could not get the help and support in time. They accused the army and the government of being partial in providing relief measures. No one can have disregard for their feelings. They just spoke what they endured due to the flood.
For many people, flood in Kashmir was very strange. They never expected that flood can happen in a hilly terrain. Perhaps, they are not aware of the fact that a massive and devastating flood came in the year 1902. Even the predictions from meteorological department failed to get noticed by the state government for a long time.
It is a clear sign that government have not learned lesson from Uttarakhand devastation which originated from hilly region. The threat of carbon emission and its impact on weather pattern and glacier meltdown is not being taken seriously.
Encroachment of natural wetlands to be used for building commercial buildings and parks is one of the reasons for the flood to take place. The flood water took a very long time to flow out and it pointed at the lack of proper drainage system and its maintenance.
The government is seen as very inefficient in dealing with such natural calamities. They were seen to be lacking in disaster management plan preparedness. Had it not been for the Indian army, the people would have faced more casualties.
The state government and government bodies responsible for such situation were seen to be completely paralyzed. Whatever government help reached the people, were restricted to wealthy pockets.
Conclusion
Can the people of Kashmir be expected to support the government and keep hardliners at bay when their basic needs are not met and efficiently managed by the government? Who will be responsible for saving them from the threats of natural calamities?
