The article, Darkness at Noon, by your Srinagar correspondent Yusuf Jameel, which appeared in The Asian Age on September 21, stated: “Their (Army and IAF) first priority was to rescue their own and other forces, tourists next and then came the turn of seasonal labourers and other non-locals, and the Kashmiri was left to the mercy of God.”
This is a malicious attempt to malign the services, who left no stone unturned in extending a helping hand to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I can say this with conviction because, from September 7 to 10, I personally sent media personnel on airplanes and helicopters engaged in around 100 relief missions.
Almost an equal number of media personnel were taken from Jammu and Srinagar on drop sorties, to Nehru helipad, golf course and winching sorties on days subsequent to September 10. It will not be unfair to label the J&K rescue operation as one of the most transparent ones watched by the media.
And yet, Mr Jameel has chosen to praise the likes of JKLF chief Yasin Malik in the article, though Mr Malik has been exposed on television for hijacking the rescue boats. Also, the writer has missed out the praise from three Pakistani women in the media, who were rescued by the IAF. They were astonished that despite knowing their nationality, they were treated with warmth. Another local lady returned to her relatives in Srinagar after seeing that two girls staying in her guest house were rescued.
It was in the presence of the media that, on September 9, one soldier who was in distress and had boarded the helicopter at Nehru helipad in Srinagar, was made to deplane. In fact, the captain of the helicopter, Squadron Leader Gautam, came into the cabin from the cockpit to speak to the soldier. If anyone doubts this they should speak to the journalists.
On September 10, every sortie of the Mi-17 V5 helicopter, from IAF station Srinagar to Nehru helipad/golf course, had journalists on board. And from these sites alone 12,000 souls were evacuated.
As a helicopter pilot, I always felt guilty of reducing the payload to carry media personnel. But, I believe that a larger purpose is served by taking them along.
At 10 pm on September 7, in a meeting between Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), Headquarters, Air Officer Commanding J&K and the Corps Commander, 15 Corps, it was decided that the fastest means of rescue would be by Army/ NDRF bringing people in boats to Nehru helipad and golf course. And from these two locations IAF helicopters would take them to Srinagar airfield.
At that stage, it would have taken a day or two for the Army and NDRF to pick up full momentum as the boats were still being flown in and NDRF and the Army were fanning out to cover the maximum area. After arriving at the airfield, survivors were segregated into groups — those willing to proceed to Jammu, Chandigarh or Delhi. These were the destinations for most IAF airplanes.
Since there was a daily influx of survivors at Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, the administration was requested to take the locals to another camp outside the IAF station. This was necessary to facilitate medical care at the IAF relief camp.
There was also a group of 3,000-4,000 people outside the Hamama gate of the IAF station. The IAF could not have taken them in as its own camp was full. The CM was apprised of these people and at the insistence of the IAF, camps were set up for them.
On September 7 and 8, when evacuation by boat was still gaining momentum, the main evacuation was by helicopters. This was also extensively covered by the media. How could a distinction be made between locals and outsiders on a rooftop? Yes, priority was given to children, women, the old and infirm. On every front Mr Jameel has drawn false conclusions. By maligning the uniformed personnel he has exposed his own bias. The conduct of the Services was above board and this is known to every survivor and has been witnessed by the entire nation, live.
Group Captain Sundeep Mehta, PRO (Palam), ministry of defence, is a helicopter pilot and was deployed at Srinagar airfield to facilitate media coverage of the J&K floods
