At epicentre, hope fades

SHEFALI NAUTIYAL

BHACHAU, JANUARY 18: The most heart-rending photos of the damage wrought by last year’s killer quake were from this town, closest to the epicentre of the quake. Obviously, post-quake, most reconstruction and rehabilitation effort seemed to focus on this town.

But that hasn’t helped this town get back on its feet soon. A year later, nothing much seems to have changed ever since the quake destroyed all its landmarks. Where high-rises once stood, now there is flat ground all around.

The suburbs are a sprawl of ten feet by ten tin shanties, some of them shops run by people who lost their all in the quake — even hope. In the labyrinth of government formalities, with a corrupt official at every turn, it is easy to lose hope, residents say. ‘‘Initially all ministers came to town, stayed some time, made promises,’’ says Girishbhai Suta, who runs a phone booth in new Bhachau market. ‘‘But we all knew what was going to happen. The rich, who could manage to leave, left. The entire atmosphere is depressing. So many people have attempted suicide.’’

Residents are thankful for the work done in the first phase of rehabilitation effort, but wish that the momentum had carried through for longer. Voluntary organisations, reporters, ministers and officials had all done good work in those initial days, they concede. But the garbage piles and the pigs in the rubble and muck, the glut of relief material that lies rotting, the talk of suicide attempts — tell a depressing tale of how a task well begun was not well carried through.

Those still around live in foreign tents given in relief or shacks with roofs of tarpaulin. Those who could afford it, have rebuilt pucca houses. Bhachau is one of the four towns where rehabilitation is being handled by the state Urban Development Department through its Gujarat Urban Development Company. Plans for the town are quite detailed and systematic, to be carried out in two phases. But though they sound impressive on paper, the plans haven’t been translated into action.

This makes some wish they were elsewhere. Says Premjibhai Suta, a driver, ‘‘I visited Kakarva village, adopted by Jai Prakash Industries, and really wished we were not from Bhachau. Except for tall promises made, nothing has happened here.’’