Near stampede at Haj House as loan hopefuls swell
HYDERABAD: A near-stampede-like situation was witnessed at the Haj House in Nampally as the deadline for the TS Minority Finance Corporation’s bank-linked subsidy scheme neared.
According to an eyewitness who was present at the Haj House, when the applicants stormed through the doors, two of the women fell to the ground and a child was nearly crushed in a stampede-like situation.
The situation nearly spiralled out of control due to a lack of sufficient security to handle the massive gathering of faithful to submit their applications at the main hall of Haj House where counters were put up. “People pushed through and damaged the glass door of this entrance,” said Mirza Imtiyaz Baig, the security incharge.
Although online applications are allowed, the authorities insisted on providing the details physically after online processing, and this has caused thousands of people from low-income families to be inconvenienced, sources said. Following the state government’s recent Rs 120 crore grant to the corporation, the number of applications had surpassed 1.5 lakh by Tuesday, however only 5,000 applicants will be eligible for the subsidy plan of Rs 1 lakh with 80 per cent waiver and Rs 2 lakh with 70 per cent waiver.
With only a few days until the deadline on January 6, hopefuls flocked to the Haj House in large numbers, which swelled by the afternoon.
GHMC employee, who went to the Haj House to help a friend, requesting anonymity blamed the authorities for their complete failure to assess the situation, despite knowing that a large number of applicants would arrive.
“This is apathetic on the part of administration, as without basic requirements they have set up the counters. Further, the understaffed security was unable to control the crowd. Like in a movie, the cops arrived at the end after the damage was already done,” he explained.
Frustrated applicants, particularly from low-income families, urged that the government extend the application deadline. “I have been standing here since 9 am and my application was not accepted here despite processing online. I request that the dates be extended by at least a fortnight,” pleaded Sardar Khan, a tailor from Kalapathar. Another applicant wondered why the corporation required a physical copy of the application after it was submitted digitally.
“Families with children have come here and now officials are asking us to come later. There are no proper queues and no basic amenities like drinking water,” Abdul Qayyum, a vegetable trader from Jhirra near Karwan, bemoaned. Rubeena Khatoon of Mallepalli claimed that the administration at the Haj House even refused to issue acknowledgement receipts while receiving applications.
Deccan Chronicle tried to reach the corporation chairman Imtiyaz Ishaq, but he did not respond.
