"We had to hijack water".
This remark in exasperation by doctors at a private hospital here today summed up the situation on how people and hospitals were desperate and at their wit's end to get water for daily use in the aftermath of the worst-ever floods in 109 years that has ravaged Jammu and Kashmir.
As the floods ironically brought shortage of drinking water because of fear of pollution of water sources, the threat of outbreak of water-borne diseases also loomed large.
For the people of Srinagar and other towns in Kashmir Valley, it has been a case of "water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink" after the floods unleashed devastation following heavy rains for several days since September 2.
Doctors at Ahmed Hospital and Nursing Home narrated their experiences in handling the grim situation where even getting water for ordinary use was an ordeal.
"We had to hijack water. We went to the local Water Department. We sent 10 people in our ambulance. They went and hijacked a (water) tank, filled water so that we can keep the hospital clean because no one is there," one doctor, who identified himself as Dr Khan, told NDTV.
Elaborating on the problems faced in treating patients, Dr Khan said bedsheets were being torn and sterlised for use in surgeries.
Even doctors were sweeping the floors in a bid to keep it clean, he said.
"There is nobody. There is no help," he said, adding, "Doctors, nurses are helping...Everyone is helping. They are cleaning floors. Everybody is being asked to volunteer. But the thing is that we are short of resources."
"Nothing is coming from anywhere. There is nobody, There is no help," he said.
Dr Khan said the hospital did not need any financial support but required medicines and injectible pain killers.
"We need antibiotics, sterilised sheets for OTs(Operation Theatre. We need sterilised equipment for OTs. We need dialysis fluid. People are dying for lack of dialysis. We don't need any financial support," he said.
The problem has been further compounded since patients from government hospitals are also being sent to this hospital, he said.
Since there is no electricity supply the hospital is working on two generator sets being operated alternately.
Another doctor, who identified himself as Dr Iqbal, said the hospital has a capacity of 25 beds but since Sunday 82 cesarean operations have been conducted.
He said of all the dialysis centres in the City the unit at the hospital is the only one that is functional at present.
