Monday, I was back to work. It's not that I could not afford to sit back home, give much needed company to loved ones but purely because I felt equally responsible for hundreds of people whose life hinged on income that they make from this company where I work. Makeshift camps were made, a couple of Wi-Fi hot spots were created and by Wednesday we were back to work.Alongside, in this time of unprecedented crisis we started a fundraising campaign. What was surprising was that many people donated, many anonymously. Talk about donating Rs 5,000 to build a temple and have your name etched in marble as if that marble was more important that the idol that resided inside.
First day, we walked to Pashupati. There wasn't a place that was not 'burning'. Not just river banks but even in the middle of the river dead bodies were being cremated. I could not hold back my tears. But as soon as tears began to drip, anger surged. There was no police, army or anyone from government to help these hapless victims. The place was chaotic. Feeling distraught, we offered to bear the expenses of cremation and we were treated like 'angels falling from heavens'. People had no money. How I wish 'Pashupati Bikas Kosh' offered free service. After all the money it has in its coffers is made up of offerings by those very people.
Next day, we went to inspect several houses in and around our vicinity. Quite obviously everyone thought we were from government and began hounding us. Unperturbed, we clicked pictures of damaged houses and then talked to no one but the main owners. Next day, we gathered them and provided them with couple of thousands of rupees in immediate cash. We knew this would not do much and yet for one more time I cried to witness people appreciate this little gesture. There were complaints of robbery and theft all around and yet we were told that they have not seen a single policeman. I understand that they too must be badly hit by the quake and under trauma. But at the same time, unlike me who works for a private company, police personnel have taken oath to put the 'country first' while they were inducted into the force.
Inspector Generals of both the police and the armed police have failed miserably. I am not sure how many drills you have undertaken over the course of time, but when the time of reckoning called, we did not see you. You might argue that you rescued one life that was trapped inside for 120 hours—thank you and we really appreciate it—but had you acted on time many more lives would have been saved. You let us down.
The next day we went to assess victim needs. Hearing that the historic city of Sankhu is now itself history, we thought we would go there just to assess the need. As we walked through the rubbles we could hear people curse us left and right. They said something like we should beat these people up since they are on disaster tourism. Unfazed, we talked to some locals. Some of my colleagues hailed from the area and they almost ran towards us with big hopes. After a bit of talking, they told us that it's been four days and they still have not seen any army men come to rescue people trapped inside. Once a truckload of army men had come but the commander had told his troops that there was not much that they could do with bare hands and that they needed specialized equipment. Then they left. We have been forced to believe that 90 percent of army men are out of the barracks to help quake victims. If so, I am sorry Mr Gaurav Shumsher Rana, I suggest you too go for a vacation. We all know that you are retiring soon but you better do it now.
The press conferences that some ministers were conducting appeared so immature that I felt like smashing my beloved television set. They seemed to have no clue apart from saying that government effort is at full swing. I am not sure what the Prime Minister meant. May be his head was still spinning from the quake and subsequent aftershocks. He was in Indonesia attending some "important" seminar but nothing can convince me that upon getting a tweet from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Kathmandu has rocked, he could not find a flight back home. He could have chartered a flight and flew back immediately.
But before I sincerely ask you to retire, Mr PM, I must tell you that when you addressed the nation, we were hoping that you would announce definitive relief measures. Were you out of your mind in reading out such an insensitive speech? Did you even know what you were saying? Who wrote this statement? How I wish you had used your discretion of going through the speech once before reading it out. You asked for calm when the city was rocking; you asked for help when the forces were sitting idle. In effect, you seemed to admit that there's very little we can do. Please help yourselves! I sincerely wish you go back to Nepalgunj. I hear it's safer out there.
I got a distress call from Okhaldhunga. The caller told me that he had talked to Village Development Committee secretary expecting some immediate cash. He was told that he could get the money with proper documentation. In its absence he was unable to get money since CIAA would tomorrow prey on the secretary. The state machinery has not just failed but collapsed. Mr Chief Secretary, I think you can go back to what you love doing, cleaning Bagmati.
Who would run the country then? Well I cannot say much apart from the fact that I have seen more Indian buses plying on our roads and spotted Indian policemen on the streets in uniform. I think someone's here to take care of us.
hiteshkarki@gmail.com
Related story
Tibet earthquake kills at least 126 people and leaves many trap...
