Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 23: With tension brewing up, people of Urusa in north Kashmir' Baramulla district, the last village of this part of Kashmir, are worried over shelling by the Pakistani troopers.
Urusa village is one of the villages in Uri on the heels of the LoC that was devastated by the 2005 earth quake. The basic infrastructure has been built by the Army and the air force over the years.
Life returned to normal in the border village, which was deserted for years following the truce between India and Pakistan in 2003. According to locals, the truce between India and Pakistan has brought cheers on the faces of people.
The last time Uri actually made headlines when an army camp was attacked. Before that In 2005, the road to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir was opened here, allowing the movement of people and goods through Kaman bridge and 2005 earth quake. These days they are worried. "Pakistani troopers would target us before 2003. But we are again worried as we may again be targeted," said Mohammad Shafi, a local.
Another local Bashir Ahmad said they did not sleep whole night. "We don't know when Pakistani troopers may target us," he added. The Urasa and it's adjoining villages (Chakara, Guwati, Chakara, Muripatti) sans health facility. "If anybody falls ill, we have to take patient to Uri town with the help of army," they said. Villagers regularly visit the Army hospital for treatment, their children study in the Army school. The locals know many of the soldiers on the base, even consider some as friends. "We (Army and civilians) know each other very well. This has been most peaceful area in Kashmir except their had been ceasefire violations from other side of the border," said Bilal Ahmad, a local. Uri is a town with one small hospital, a police station, no petrol pump, few government schools and sporadic electricity supply. m"People are dependent on the Army. Without Army support it is not possible for us to live here," said Ali Mohammad, a local resident. "We are entirely dependent on the army for the basic facilities like roads, water and the health care facilities and the employment. Government has not been bothered for upgradation of basic facilities here." Urusa is the last village of this part of Kashmir, where late Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam Azad visited along with some Union ministers after the 2005 devastating earth quake. |
