Toll may increase as rural Nepal lacks connectivity, says returnee
V. Subramanian
Chennai: The last few days have been anything but peaceful for 38-year-old V. Subramanian, an economics teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya’s Kathmandu branch for about four years now. Before leaving the disaster-struck Himalayan country of Nepal and its mournful people, he was witness to scenes of utter chaos and long queues formed by survivors to avail of even basic essentials like water.
“There is a scramble for everything. Be it to get a 200 ml water bottle or to get inside an IAF rescue aircraft at Kathmandu airport,” Subramanian said. He recalled people standing in very long queues (time extending to up to 3 hours) just to get a 200 ml water bottle. Another evacuee, who returned along with Subramanian, said he was charged a whopping Rs1,200 for a 20 litre water can, an exponential increase compared to the Rs 25-Rs 35 charged for the same quantity here.
While the official toll currently stands at just above 5,000, Subramanian fears it is bound to increase. “A lot of populous villages up in the mountainous regions have been hit hard. With no road connectivity, it has been a challenge for rescue agencies, including the Indian armed forces,” he said.
On Tuesday, Subramanian was among the 40-odd Tamilians who first touched base at Delhi and then flew to Chennai. “After arriving at Delhi (first point of call), I was received by Indian officials with a very warm and personal touch. After experiencing earthshaking moments, a bit of warmth and hope was like the perfect elixir,” he said.
Tamil Nadu aid for Nepal: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced a relief assistance of Rs 5 crore to earthquate-hit Nepal, said an official release.
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