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Friday, September 26, 2014

Kashmir floods or play field for journalists


By Adfar Shah


Ferocious floods recently hit Kashmir through continuous rains spread over a period of seven days sequentially inundating South, Central and North Kashmir. Fourteen breaches on the bunds of Jhelum River filled the areas starting from Pantha Chowk to Bemina with areas such as Batwara, Indra Nagar, Sonwar, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Dal Gate, Lal Chowk, Press Colony, Gogji Bagh and so on. Civil administration was so foxed and paralysed that except for holding meetings, the Chief Minister and his government handed over the situation to Army and other rescue agencies while personally acting as a volunteer. Besides the opposition brigade had not much role to play except creating space for themselves.

Having said that, Kashmir floods became a perfect narrative for a typical television story. Visuals to drive anyone in pain and dismay were shown continuously. So literally September 4, onwards here it was - Kashmir floods becoming the play ground for Delhi breed of journalists. The who's who of all television channels was desperate to be seen in Srinagar at least.


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