By Tarique Anwar, TwoCircles.net
Patna : Devastating flood in north Bihar killed many people. Thousands of people have become homeless and struggling to survive. Food and essential items are in short supply and Government once again failed its people.
In this pitiable situation Imarat-e-Shariah is one organization that is providing food and relief to people of Bihar irrespective of religion and caste. Its volunteers are busy distributing relief items among survivors.
To know the contribution of this socio-cultural organization, Tarique Anwar of TwoCircles.net spoke to Nazim (Manager) Imarat-e-Shariah Maulana Anisurrahman Quasmi.
TCN: What is the exact situation of the flood affected areas?
Maulana Quasmi: The situation is very pathetic. You will burst into tears if you visit the affected areas. People surround us, when our relief team reaches with relief items, even for a handful of rice.
TCN: What are you distributing?
Maulana Quasmi: Dried food items, polythene sheets, some medicines and cash amount from Rs100 to Rs500 according to the needs.
TCN: Do you have some idea about loss of property and lives due to this natural calamity?
Maulana Quasmi: No, it is very difficult to give any figure of loss by us or the Government because so many places are completely submerged into water. So an estimate can not be done till water recedes.
TCN: What is your opinion about the Government relief work? Is it sufficient?
Maulana Quasmi: The Government’s relief work is affective only in some towns. It is not very fruitful in village areas because the system of the Government is very slow. The relief commodities first goes to the concerned blocks from the district head quarter then it is sanctioned to each Mukhiya (village chief) and then Mukhiya distributes it to the people. This is very complex and time consuming process due to which the victims are not getting benefit from the Government.
TCN: In how many districts Imarat’s relief team are operative?
Maulana Quasmi: Our teams are working in almost whole of the north Bihar mainly in Samastipur, Khagaria, Begusarai, Supaul, Darbhanga, Shivhar, Sitamadhi, Madhubani.
TCN: Are the people getting advantage from air dropping?
Maulana Quasmi: Air dropping is not an effective method because the packets dropped from the helicopters either goes to water or here and there. It does not reach to the survivors properly.
TCN: What is the source of income of Imarat by which it is managing the whole expenses?
Maulana Quasmi: As you know we collect amount from the donation of the people to help people in these bad times.
TCN: How much economical support you are getting from the people to continue this work.
Maulana Quasmi: It is very disappointing that we are not getting cooperation as expected from the people and lack of money is hindering our future plans.
TCN: What are your future plans for this relief work?
Maulana Quasmi: Due to the scorching sun rays and extremely hot weather Diarrhea and Cholera is spreading very rapidly. We are planning to send our medical teams to some places which will provide medical treatments to the poor flood victims. This medical team will also provide medicines to them.
TCN: What is your appeal to the Government?
Maulana Quasmi: Our first demand to the Government is to speed up the relief work and ensure that the things are reaching to rural as well as urban areas properly. Secondly, both Central as well as State Government should talk to Nepal and build a dam on Bagmati River to stop the flood forever.
The draft or cheques should be made out to Baitulmal, Imarat-e-Shariah, Patna and send it to Nazim Imarat-e-Shariah, Phulwari Sharif, Patna -801505 Bihar, India.
Link:
www.ImaratShariah.org: official website