Cover 11 January, 2021 Issue
Snow Vagaries
News Kashmir Exclusive
Kashmir has seen one of the heaviest snowfall in decades . On 3 January, 2021 Sunday heavy Snowfall began to lash parts of the Kashmir .And, after Four days of incessant snowfall, weather in Kashmir witnessed a significant improvement on Thursday, 7 January but heavy snowfall left property worth lakhs of rupees damaged and two persons including a CRPF sub-inspector dead.As a matter of fact ,heavy snowfalls in Kashmir have given testing times to both people and authorities.
Jammu Srinagar NHW [national highway] blocked due to snow accumulation at Jawahar Tunnel and Landslides/mudslides/shooting stones at Samroli, Magarkot, Panthyal, Marog, Cafeteria mor, Dhalwas, Nashri @JmuKmrPolice,” tweeted Jammu & Kashmir traffic police.
A group of tourists from Rajasthan had a narrow escape along the highway near Panthal when a landslide hit the vehicle they were travelling in. Police said the tourists were rescued and were safe.
The snowfall, heaviest in decades created havoc on the road and electricity infrastructure in the Valley.
The heavy snowfall caused faults in several feeder lines in Kashmir leading to power outages in many areas especially the rural areas .In many areas of Sriningar the administration was seen clearing the snow but in many areas of Kashmir Valley especially the rural areas people were on their own clearing snow and facing hardships .Electricity supply remained good in some areas but equally poor in many with bad reports of many transformers exploding causing hardship to the masses .The claims and counter claims continued .CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami alleged that the claims of the administration on alertness had been exposed “especially in South Kashmir that saw massive power breakdown, road blockades and scarcity of essential commodities”.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P.K. Pole said adequate stock of essential commodities was available in the Valley. “For the higher reaches and the other areas, which remain cut-off during the winter period, we have kept ration for 4-6 months stocked,” Mr. Pole said.
The need of the hour is to strengthen the roots of Administration further so that we meet such heavy snowfalls with better preparedness.As heavy snowfall blocked roads in Kashmir, local youth ferried a pregnant woman on a cot in South Kashmir, marched for 12 km on foot amid 7-inch snow accumulated on got the road and took her to the hospital. Later, she delivered the baby safely. The patient had developed labor pain but the snowy roads blocked her way. Locals accused the administration of failing to clear the snow accumulated on the road because of which, no vehicle could ply on the road and the patient had to be taken on the cot.
One hopes administration would take holistic view of these serious issues .
