Quake victims call off march

By Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD, APRIL 14. The 400-kilometre-long march by the earthquake victims of Anjar in Kutch district has been called off following the Gujarat Government's assurance of a ``satisfactory deal'' for their rehabilitation.

The march, which began from the Surajbari bridge on April 5 to highlight the State Government's ``failure'' to announce a rehabilitation package, reached Sarkhej, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, on Friday on its way to Gandhinagar.

Even as about 1,200 men, women, old and young were marching under the aegis of the ``Group 2001'', formed by the intelligentsia of Anjar, braving the scorching sun, a five-member delegation held talks with the Government in Gandhinagar.

The State Government had announced that a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the four worst-hit towns of Kutch, including Anjar, would be finalised by April 23. The people of Anjar, spending their days without any shelter, were dismayed over the delay and were not prepared to wait any further.

As the march neared Ahmedabad, the State Government began frantic efforts to bring about a solution to the problem to prevent the marchers from entering Ahmedabad.

The quake-hit were scheduled to march through the city to the Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram today and after a night halt there, reach the state capital tomorrow. But at a meeting convened by the Chief Minister, Mr. Keshubhai Patel, at his residence on Friday night, the delegation agreed to call off the march and return to Anjar. According to a government spokesman, the marchers had agreed to wait till April 23, the date the Government had promised to announce the rehabilitation package, while a leader of the group said ``we are satisfied with the talks''. It was not clear what the Government had offered.

Marchers divided

The decision created division among the marchers with one section resenting the ``surrender'' without forcing the Government to concede their demands, which included publication of a ``white paper'' on area-wise details of the damage, the loss of human and animal lives, the compensation paid by the Government and its future plans.

Though weary of traversing more than 400 km and worried of their future, the marchers were in high spirits when they reached Sarkhej, but the decision came as a major setback. They had even decided to continue to walk up to Delhi to represent their case before the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, if the State Government failed to address their grievances.

Building collapses

Meanwhile, a school building in Anjar, which was heavily damaged in the earthquake, collapsed on Friday under impact of thundershowers accompanied by a squall that swept through Kutch district. The three-storey building was one of the structures declared unsafe and was to be pulled down.

The district authorities claimed no one was injured in the collapse.

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