Medhaj News: Even as Prime Minister ordered officials to ramp up relief work in Kashmir where unprecedented floods have already taken a heavy toll on life—more than 200 dead—and displaced millions, internal tensions and lack of communication in Kashmir—between the Omar Govt and the Army—and the Army and the people—Omar Govt and the people—disrupt what should have been a joint, concerted effort to save lives.

While more than 700,000 people have been rescued by over 30,000 army personal armed with tons of aid material, the million odd trapped are still seeking help. But none is arriving as both the Omar Government and army’s disaster relief force (NDRF) are woefully short of equipment and manpower. As a consequence, people’s anger is rising; curiously, the Indian national media is coming under a lot of flak.

A FB post said national media is glorifying the army while neglecting local volunteers who are doing most of the relief work. In fact, it seems the national media is focused more on hotels etc where foreign/Indian tourists and elites are facing problems. The situation has reached a point where skewed media attention is resulting in the NDRF also preferring Hotels etc and denying volunteers rescue equipment.

Kashmiris say their collective effort has saved the situation so far while others are seeing the floods as a PR exercise.

"We have really been overwhelmed. We have been overwhelmed by the scale of the problem," Jammu and Kashmir State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told a news network.

The humanitarian crisis can be seen on a stretch of road in India's Srinagar. Hundreds of exhausted residents, some clutching children, others plastic bags of belongings, walked to an army relief camp on higher ground, searching for food and water.

Salim Nabi, his wife and two sons, have been camped on the road for days, with only a plastic sheet for shelter, waiting for the waters to recede further so they can check on their flooded house.

"The situation is absolutely pathetic. We are wondering why exactly we voted for a state government that does nothing for us," Nabi shouts out aloud.

Abdul Ahad Tantray has been caring for his three-year-old granddaughter for days, after his daughter handed her over to a neighbor but then became trapped herself in her house.

With no news of her fate and the waters still too high to reach the house himself, Tantray said he was helpless.

"She has been crying for her mother, 'Where is my mama?'," he said.

Indian army rescue chief Singh admitted that a lack of government officials on the ground was also hampering the military's rescue and relief efforts.

"The biggest problem is there that is no presence from the state government," Singh said. "We need them to organize the crowds and help with coordination on where to send the boats."

In Srinagar, an angry mob stoned CM’s residence; close to the governor’s house another crowd didn’t allow helicopters to deliver food supplies while an NDRF Jawan was attacked by locals waiting to be rescued.

“We want water and food. We will die here. Please ask IAF choppers to drop some food pockets here,” S Lala, stranded in Srinagar’s Hari Prabat Hill area, said.

CM Omar looks hamstrung by an elitist attitude also; ANI caught him on camera saying "what can I do. I didn't bring the rain, nor can I stop it. If I could, I would have done that!"