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Livelihood a major issue for quake survivors in Uri

Aarti Dhar

URI (Kashmir): Life will, perhaps, never be the same for the hundreds of families affected in the earthquake that shook parts of Jammu and Kashmir on October 8 last year. For over 260 families, now living at the Bela Camp in Uri, there is nothing to look forward to except some relief from the Government and help from the voluntary agencies.

"We grew corn in our small piece of land in Ishamwada village before the calamity hit. The land has been totally flattened now,'' says Akhtar Jan, a young woman who was nine-months pregnant on that day and was rushed straight to the District Hospital at Baramulla where she delivered her baby a few days later.

The family now lives in a small single-room tin tenement provided by Helpage India at Bela Camp. The tin shed, lined with plywood from inside for insulation, is still hot and sultry. "We have been uprooted and are virtually on the roads. Look, our children have also tanned,'' she says.

Most of those living in the camp were either small farmers or worked as porters for the Army. With land having disappeared and relief -- whether in cash or kind -- easy to come, a majority of them live an easy life now. While the youngsters go to Baramulla to earn their living as daily wagers, other just stay back waiting for more relief to pour in.

A large population of the people living here are Gujjars. The Government has allotted them land at the camp and even given them money to construct the house, but the money has already been spent. The six-month free ration supply will also stop from the next month.

On its part Helpage India is in the process of identifying the kind of training that these people can be imparted to ensure a steady livelihood. This could include fish farming and vegetable farming also. There are many who have gone back to their villages and want to start afresh. However, in villages like Chhappar, irrigation would be an issue as water bodies have either shrunk or disappeared due to the impact of the earthquake.

The trauma and sense of helplessness has also led to psychological disorders like depression. "The best way of getting over this is to involve the people in their routine like making women to cook and ensure men have a role to play in re-construction,'' says Arshad Hussain, Registrar Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College. Psychological first aid involves comforting and consoling that should be following by purposeful activity, Dr. Hussain explains.

It takes about six months for an individual to come out of trauma, though there are some people who might take a little longer or require medication. As it is the Valley has seen an increase in the number of psychological disorders since 1989. The number of case between 1989 to 2005 has increased from 1,800 to 60,000 as has the profile of the disease from serious insanity to anxiety, sleep disorders and the dependence on psychotropic drugs.

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Livelihood a major issue for quake survivors in Uri

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