Kashmir Businessmen in Nepal Left in Lurch

We are trying our best to evacuate stranded J&K residents: Govt

Srinagar: Several Kashmiri businessmen in Kathmandu on Monday alleged that they were left in lurch by Indian authorities in quake-hit Nepal and it was due to their own efforts that some among them managed to reach the airport waiting to be airlifted.

Speaking over phone from Kathmandu Airport, one of the stranded businessmen Waseem Ahmad said: “We are in distress. No one is helping us and the situation is worse. There is no food and water. No one is receiving our calls on helpline numbers of Indian Embassy. It was only due to our own efforts, we have been able to reach the Kathmandu Airport.”

The anxious businessman said he and his family were residing at Naya Bazar which is some 8 kilometers from Kathmandu Airport. “The taxi which we hired charged us 5000 rupees from Naya Bazar,” he said, adding: “I managed to push my family and several other people inside the airport but now I am left outside with some other people.”

Another businessman, who spoke on the condition of the anonymity, said: “Don’t tell us about these helplines (sic) established by Indian Embassy. Forget about us, they aren’t even able to take care of themselves. It was all due to our own efforts and self help we are here at the airport.”

He said Kashmiris who are there in Nepal for business purpose have left their shops and other belongings and they just want to save their lives and flew to home. When asked how many Kashmiris are stranded, the businessman said: “We can’t say how many would be here,” adding, “those who were seriously injured have been flown to India.”

Waseem said seven of his friends are accompanying him and he has no information about other Kashmiris who are in other parts of Nepal. He further said: “I’ll tell you honestly that we are in distressful conditions. We don’t know whether Indian authorities are helping people from other states or not.”

While the businessmen were speaking, there was noise of aeroplanes in the background and one could hear people talking in Kashmiri languages.

The Additional Resident Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Syed Mureed Hussain told Srinagar-based news gathering agency GNS that they are not able to connect to people in Nepal because of communication breakdown. “The government is trying its best. But, what can we do? You witnessed communication breakdown in Kashmir during floods. Even our satellite phones are not working.”

He said he spoke to Chief Managing Director of Air Indian Mr. Raj Shekhar in Kathmandu for the evacuation of J&K residents as well as bodies of two people from State who died in the quake.

“Believe me, we are trying our best. You know some things are out of bounds. I can’t go there by foot,” he said, adding: “I don’t know how but two to three Kashmiris have managed to reach here.” (GNS)

Helpline 

According to Principal Resident Commissioner, J&K Government, all the residents of Jammu and Kashmir whose relatives have been affected by the devastating earthquake in Nepal may contact the helpline Numbers 011-24611210, 011-24611108, 011-24615475 & 011-24653913 available in the Principal Resident Commissioner, J&K, 5-Prithvi Raj Road, New Delhi.

People are further informed that help, if any sought or required by the residents of J&K coming back from Nepal by the flight of Air India or Aeroplane of Air Force can contact the above mentioned helpline Numbers. 

Police helpline flooded with calls

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have received over 100 calls from distressed relatives and stranded Kashmiris in quake-hit Nepal on its helpline numbers established on Saturday evening, a senior police official said.

The official, who insisted not to be named, said: “We received over 100 calls from relatives of the stranded Kashmiris in Nepal and as well as from some of the Kashmiris there in Nepal so far. The calls were also received from locals who were stranded at Kathmandu airport.”

“We have traced 35 out of 38 persons in Nepal. So far we have no information about the three missing persons but we do know that one of the missing persons had gone there as a tourist,” he said, adding, the police were able to connect the several families with their kin in Nepal.

The official further said that the J&K Resident Commissioner (RD) in Delhi is not responding to repeated calls of Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar. “We also sent two faxes to the RD but till 5.30 pm they didn’t respond.” he said, adding: “we were told by several Kashmiris stranded in Nepal that RD didn’t answer their calls as well.”

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