In a major scam in flood relief distribution, the government has given relief to those residents in the downtown area which were not affected by the September flood last year.
The Srinagar District Administration has last year paid flood relief cheques to residents of Naidyar and Khujayarbal in Nowhatta Estate area of the Revenue Department for partially, severely and fully damaged houses.
But, an RTI has revealed that the Revenue Department has given relief cheques to people who were falling in the areas which were not affected by floods or where no flood water has reached.
As per RTI provided by Tehsildar office in Khanyar, 91 families in Naidyar have been provided relief cheques of Rs 3800, and 196 families in Khujayarbal in Nowhatta Estate have been given Rs 3800 relief cheques.
Surprisingly, 16 families which have been given relief are fake, while two have shifted to different localities 30 years ago.
The RTI has revealed that 14 families in have been provided Rs 12600 under severely damaged category.
As per the RTI, in Naidyar locality the revenue department has shown minors and unmarried youth as separate families and given them relief cheques.
The assessment of the relief was made by a team comprising Tehsildar, Naib Tehsildar, Girdawar, Patwari and junior engineers concerned and the team was constituted by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar.
But, locals alleged that the team did not assess the damage and only Patwari was involved in this whole process.
They said that the government should inquire as to why the relief was given to people who were not affected by floods.
“How can the government give relief to those people which were not affected by floods, and ignore those which deserve it. Our area was not touched by floods and despite that the government gave flood relief cheques to people,” the residents said.
