 S TAHIR-UL HAQ
Early Times Report
KUPWARA, Jan 6: The fresh snowfall has brought the normal life standstill, besides scores of areas are reeling under darkness and many houses got partially damaged in north Kashmir.
Reports said that fresh snowfall has brought the normal life standstill, many houses got partially damaged in Tangdar, Keran and Chowkibal villages of Kupwara district. Sadhna Top, Machil, Chowkibal areas have received 2-3 feet of snow and road has become slippery with the result people suffer like anything, said a local resident of Chowkibal.
He told early times that the R&B department are in deep slumber, the snow cutters fails to clear the road, adding the Meteorological department had earlier predicted about low to heavy snowfall in the hilly areas and despite that, both Mechanical and R&B departments failed to keep men and machinery ready for the disposal of their services.
Bashir Ahmad from Anderhama Drugmulla said that the area reels under darkness, as electricity has not been restored in their area. There is huge accumulation of snow in the hilly areas, electricity is off since Tuesday evening as the concerned department has failed to restore the service in the adjacent areas, he said.
Reports also said that a 74 year old lady from Trehgam who came under a huge chunk of snow and with the result she has died on spot. A top government official said that restoration of essential services is going on war footing basis. "Yes we have dispatched our teams and have directed the authorities to restore all the essential services be it electricity, road clearance or any other thing including the damages that were caused due to fresh snowfall."
However sources from Uri area of Baramulla district informed that, the fresh snowfall has caused huge damage to standing fruit trees like walnut, pear, apple, apricot, pomegranate and other trees in their area.
The local representatives have expressed anguish over the damage of fruit trees in Sub-Division Uri and they have urged administration to send teams to the affected areas so that they can estimate the loss and give compensation to the farmers on war footing basis. Sources also said that most affected areas in Uri are Nambla, Garkote, Sohra, Hatlanga, Churanda, Mohthal, Batgran, Sukdar, Gohalan, Nawarunda, Kamalkote, Madyanan, Zamorpatan, Mayan, Lachipora, Bijhama, Salamabad, Dachna,Pringal, Shah kote, Babagale, Tarkanjan, Bernate, Chotali, Banali, Maydanan, Dudran, phalipora, Manzgam and other villages of Sub Division Uri. Kokowthal, Nilsar, Brandub, Harnow, Sultanpora and other areas of Kandi belt are also reeling under darkness since Tuesday evening.
Mushtaq Ahmad from Nilsar said that, old age people including men and women patients suffer lot as they cannot venture out due to heavy snowfall in their areas because of closure of roads. Locals from Sumbal Hajin Bandipora informed ET that, the inner links are still closed in Hajin, Madhwan, Saderkoot Bala, Payeen, and other adjoining areas and they have requested the concerned authorities to look into the matter at the earliest.
Meanwhile, State Disaster Management (SDM) has issued fresh avalanche warnings, as per a communiqué high danger level (Orange alert) avalanche warning has been issued for higher reaches of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts. |
