WE THE PEOPLE
Majority of NGOs have turned into Money-churning Machines and failed to give Healing touch in Kashmir Valley
Hence People urge Govt., to order Probe into their Functional Mechanism to ensure Transparency
By: Mirror News Service
Srinagar: In our first three Parts, we have dwelt at length as to how these NGOs have failed to perform their basic responsibilities of providing assistance and relief to masses that they are supposed to provide in diverse forms. Thousands of NGOs have come up in Kashmir valley since the eruption of turmoil some two decades back. A majority of NGOs have come into existence in the name of helping needy orphans who have been the main victims of two decades old war in Kashmir. But it is disheartening to point out that majority of NGOs working for this noble cause have just turned into money-churning machines in the name of helping needy orphans and done very little to change the status of Kashmiri orphans. This grave facet is made clear by the ground realities and intellectual studies.
The majority of NGOs in Kashmir valley have failed miserably in producing any prestigious "Study" related to different aspects of Kashmir. Whatever prestigious studies have come were being pioneered by National or International NGOs. A recent prestigious study of an international NGO, Action Aid states-"Climate change is devastating food production in Kashmir, Melting glaciers, changing rainfall and snow patterns and drying springs are all damaging farming in the north Indian state, the report says. The new report reveals how vegetable production is sliding, the oilseed crop is down by 70 percent and the State's once-rich paddy fields could see a big drop in rice cultivation. And on the contrary to this facet, local NGOs, which are thousands in number have never ever in recent memory come with any path breaking study related to the Valley of Kashmir.
It is a well considered opinion that a vibrant society can help in understanding the reasons underlying changes in urban life occurring alongside a deteriorating rural economy and the flight of capital outside Kashmir. Most of the businessmen have migrated to other parts of India, and there is an absence of capital infusion into the villages. As a result, there is rampant unemployment, which is affected by the security environment that discourages private investment. It is here that an active Civil Society would have helped the government in identifying the reasons and necessary remedies required.
But majority of NGOs are shunning these very basic functions and thus hampering the growth of a vibrant civil society in the Valley of Kashmir.
Tariq Hussain, a student while commenting on this veracity told our Correspondent that, "The Civil society is an essential organ of a modern society and moreover it is urgently needed in a conflict zone where it can play a much vibrant role in establishing peace and tranquility. NGOs play a leading role in forming a vibrant civil society in any part of the world. As a matter of fact, NGOs can work at different levels in Kashmir and deal with the short and long-term consequences of violence by enabling locals to remove the structural, behavioral and attitudinal conditions leading to violence."
He further said, "Focusing on reconciliation and healing is another area where NGOs could play a role to help and this can be done by strengthening the roots of the civil society.But, we have so far seen only mushrooming of NGOs in the Valley of Kashmir with very little being done by these Bodies to form an effective Civil Society in our part of the world".
But a detailed examination of the role of NGOs has revealed that these have failed to form an effective Civil Society in the Valley of Kashmir. Most of these Organizations have not been able to identify affected areas and suggest measures to remedy the situation. The State Government should set up a committee to undertake probe to unearth the faults in the functional mechanism of all NGOs operating in the valley of Kashmir. ..........................(To be continued).
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