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Tents now decide the
social hierarchy in Bhuj

''Tents have became a status symbol in Bhuj,'' said R G Bhalara, Deputy Collector of Bhuj. His office is getting non-stop requests for the commodity.

He also pointed out to his own tent with vanity and explained that it had a two-fold cover that helps keep away the cold.

He told rediff.com, "People who have lost everything are mentally preparing themselves to live in tents for a year or so. Some people refused to accept tents supplied by the army. The want imported tents. Middle class people told me they do not want cash doles of Rs 2000. They prefer to be charged Rs 2000 and provided with tents."

At night, temperatures can go down up to 6 degree Celcius and small bonfires are seen everywhere. People sleep in cars and buses to ward off the cold. People are talking endlessly about their experiences on and after the quake.

Living in tents is not easy but as Makita Khatri says, ''It's a safe shelter for our children and young girls.''

Those fortunate enough to get hold of tents are termed as 'powerful' people and have become the source of envy for others.

Harji Madhapariya of Bhuj, who is an office bearer of a Patel organisation, in a smart move called up his caste members in Dubai and purchased 400 tents at the rate of 440 dirhams. He got them shipped to Mandavi port and hopes to take delivery on Monday.

''Government officials from other cities are ready to join the relief work provided they are given tents to stay," said S Jagdeeshan, Relief Commissioner of Bhuj. He is frequently confronted by people demanding tents.

"Tents were on their way from Ahmedabad. But some people of Bhachau forcibly grabbed them."

Demand is so high that people are exerting all kind of influence to get a tent, including a chithi - a letter of recommendation - from MPs and MLAs.

On Saturday, police resorted to a mild lathi charge when harassed residents tried to raid the stock of tents.

Caste, religion and political alliances have come to play an important role in this scramble for tents.

Abdulla Khatri, a Bhuj resident who has lost his home told rediff.com, The RSS lobby corners the major portion of the relief."

"We need around 125,000 tents for Kutch district alone. We have distributed 200 tents, which came from Chandigarh, in Bhachau, and 4000 in Bhuj, which arrived from Dubai and Pakistan. We have a stock of around 700 tents and another 400 have arrived at the air port," said P K Parmar, Officer on Special Duty to help Lavendru Mansingh, chief of relief operations.

The battle of tents is severe because most of the international help has gone to NGOs. SEWA of Ahmedabad has received 25,000 blankets and 800 tents from UNICEF and Japan Wind Peace Agency, respectively, said its representative Mona Dave.

"We will get 2,000 tents from China and 440 from Japan on the 6th or 7th February. The demand will be satisfied entirely once the army's Kanpur production arrives,'' Mansingh told rediff.com.

On Sunday, Jagdeeshan was pleading with people to sleep in the open for two more days till he got the city's quota from the Collector's office.

In a debatable move, the Gujarat government has decided to distribute tents and quilts only through elected representatives of civic bodies and panchayats.

Jagdeeshan defend the decision, "Those who are not fair and impartial in distribution of tents and blankets in their area or villages will not get the votes in the next election. If I receive any complaint against such persons, we will raid them and take action, if their guilt is proved."

ALSO SEE
Tent cities to be set up in Gujarat
Rajkot faces acute shortage of tents: PTI

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