Survivors' Tales: Politicising the Floods

Everyone comes back to the same concern of rehabilitating people in Kashmir. While the dismal amounts of state relief continue to trickle in, the biggest casualty of the election campaign has been the declaration of a comprehensive rehabilitation package for Jammu and Kashmir. One that pulls together housing, employment, opportunity and infrastructure in a well knit web for citizens to get back to their lives. Everyone says disaster is a great equaliser but the floods did not distinguish between religion, caste or economic status. Nonetheless, the need for resources and relief are infinitely more urgent for those who have no roofs over their heads this winter and as polls come to a close and campaign code of conduct rules lapse, the biggest challenge for any new government in Jammu and Kashmir will be to work with Delhi to ensure these reach them quickly and without an eye on a political scorecard.