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People trickling back home

Vinod Mathew

AHMEDABAD, Feb. 6

IT is only a trickle now, but is expected to gather momentum in the coming days. The people of Ahmedabad have started returning to their residences in fits and starts.

The overriding sentiment seems to be `enough is enough' -- life has to go on. Quickening a decision in this direction is the biting cold as the mercury has touched unprecedented lows of around 6 degrees Celsius, a rarity for early February.

The temporary tents have begun to disappear as is borne out by the Vastrapur shelter put up by the Adani group, which housed and fed anywhere between 900 and 1,500 people these past 11 days.

However, as the night fell, many of those who were resolute about moving into their high-rises `no matter what', began having self-doubts. Then it was back to the residences of those more firmly entrenched on the ground, as friends and relatives with ten ements, row houses and bungalows began to be a highly sought-after breed.

Understandably, those who were wondering how to get rid of their downmarket ground-floor residences are suddenly quoting astronomical figures, but no one is sure how long this spin-off effect of the earthquake will last.

Separate authority: Meanwhile, the Gujarat Government has decided to set up a separate Gujarat Earthquake Management Authority under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Keshubhai Patel, to take up the rehabilitation and reconstruction in the earth quake-affected areas.

The Government would also create a separate section for earthquake relief under the general administration department. At the same time, the administration in the 15 worst-affected talukas would now be treated as stand-alone districts to speedily tackle relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work.

The worst-hit talukas are Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar, Rapar and Kandla-Gandhidham, all in Kutch district, Jodiya in Jamnagar district, Wankaner, Morbi and Maliya in Rajkot district, Halvad, Patdi and Dhrangdhra in Surendranagar district, Santalpur in Patan dis trict and Daskroi and Ahmedabad city taluka in Ahmedabad district.

The Cabinet has decided to cancel the Budget session of the State Assembly, which was originally slated to begin on February 20, and convene the House for a short period only for adopting a vote on account for four months. The revised dates for convening the Assembly would be decided later.