Villagers carry patient on shoulders due to lack of road connectivity

Wasim Majnoon Mir

Kupwara January 06:(KNS)   Amid the blocked off roads due to heavy snowfall, Kupwara villages without electricity, Water and Connectivity.

The villagers in Rawathpora Kralpora of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district carried a patient on their shoulders for several miles to reach the highway.

The locals in the area said that they have many times approached authorities to make the road feasible in harsh weather, "but they have turned deaf ears to our repeated pleas," locals said.

"In Trehgam area of this frontier district Kupwara, an elderly woman was killed after coming under snow falling off the roof of her house on Wednesday. Sources said that Rani Begum, wife of Mohd Subhan Malik, had ventured out for some household chores in Trehgam area when she was buried by snow falling off the roof."

Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Anshul Garg Said that, the Snow Clearance, Power restoration, status of essential supplies and monitoring of Health institutions underway across Kupwara. Over half of the Priority Roads cleared and 10 out of 17 Receiving Stations now charged.

"Locals of Humandar and Manigah are carrying a critical patient on collin and tried their best to reach SDH KUPWARA. Pertain to mention here that Hyhama area is only seven Km from district headquarter Kupwara but roads are still blocked. People of the area requested DC kupwara to intervene in the matter personally."

Sources said that two JCB machines have been put in place in Kupwara Town to clear the snow from roads. The area is vast and has numerous roads so just two JCB machines are not sufficient to clear all the roads, sources said.”

However District Administration Kupwara has set up control rooms at district and sub divisional level and has given help line numbers for any emergency.

People demand snow should be cleared from link roads on a war footing basis. They said snow has still not been cleared from roads connecting Rawathpora, Chowkibal, Nowgam, Khahipora to Zachaldara road, Shailhall, Harnipora, Lilum, Palpora, Villages of Hyhama, Lolab, Handwara, Langate and Karnah area of North Kashmir's district Kupwara.

The villagers of the Lolab, Hyhama, Handwara, Langate and others areas said that they are without connectivity, water and electricity from past 48 hours while officials passing directions from cozy rooms are only adding salt to their wounds.

Residents of Kupwara Town,Tikker,Hirri,Trehgam and Kralpora complained that power plays hide and seek and during night/day hours the supply goes off for hours together.

Meanwhile in the evening many roads were cleared, water and electricity was restored in many areas of this frontier district Kupwara.

Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (DMA) has issued high, medium and low level avalanche warnings for higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir including Kupwara.

Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus today said the weather Will start improving from today afternoon. (KNS)