Electricity, Water supplies, internet, mobile services affected, Roads turn into cesspools, people aghast against tall claims
Srinagar: The flash floods and avalanches due to the massive snowfall in Valley has resulted in the killing of 13 people while as more than 35 have been injured. According to the reports received by KNS, one army personal and 3 labourers died due to avalanche in Kargil area while as in peer panchal range more than three people died and scores were injured when some houses collapsed due to the massive snowfall in the area. The injured were taken to the government hospital wherein some are reported to be critical.
The state weather department claimed that it already had intimated the state authorities about the bad weather and had issued a hand out some days earlier about the matter. The massive rainfall and snowfall affected life in Kashmir at large with the electricity and water supplies snapped in several areas. The air traffic on Wednesday also got affected with the flights taking the Delhi route instead of Srinagar from Jammu. The passengers informed KNS over phone that there was a lot of congestion in the air traffic on Wednesday- making the people to wait for hours at Jammu and Srinagar airport. One of the Jammu flight had to land at New Delhi airport instead of Srinagar due to the snowfall aftermath at Srinagar Airport.
The internet and cellular services also got affected on Tuesday- leaving the millions of users across valley aghast. The roads virtually turned into cesspools- compelling the shopkeepers to close their shops in Lal chowk and adjoining areas. the drainage system in most of the areas across Srinagar collapsed with the water blocking the main roads. People of various areas protested against authorities including SMC for failing to dewater the roads and over snow clearance. “See the condition roads- we are not even able to walk properly. The MLA who is also the resident of the same area didn’t even move out from his house to access the situation- leave alone the dewatering and snow clearance,” said a local resident of Lal Bazar, adding that when the locals approached the concerned MLA over electricity crises and the blockade of roads- the MLA stated that it is the punishment for not voting during the elections.
The reports of protests against the authorities are coming from various areas of the city with the people expressing anger over the ‘collapse’ of the administration due to the snowfall. The people stated that their water and electricity supplies have been snapped with out any reason and that the claims of SMC for the beautification and maintenance of the Srinagar city turned out to be farce. “We see the SMC men when some one in the area is constructing a residential house- rest the SMC men do nothing for the city,” said a local resident of Chatabal.
The reports of the water lodging are alos coming from the main city centre: lal chowk- with the shopkeepers in Magarmal Bagh and Hari Singh High Street accusing the government of deliberately turning blind- eye towards the problems of the area and ignoring it on all fronts. “We are the highest tax payers to the government- we run shops in Lal chowk and see what government is giving us in return.”
The people at several places including old city raised slogans against the government over the electricity and water supply crises. The people accused that the government has failed to provide basic necessity to the common masses like water and electricity. “The world outside Kashmir changed a lot during the past six years- can we ask this question to Omar Abdullah that what he changed in Kashmir- has the condition of roads and electricity changed?,” said Khalid Syed- a resident of old city.
As the sun shone on Wednesday afternoon , the officials valley received some 6 to 8 ft of snow since past two days with the Srinagar- Jammu highway closed for vehicular movement. The office of the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir stated that the administration is working on all fronts to restore the necessary supplies including water and electricity. it stated further that snow clearance and dewatering of roads is on full swing with every effort being made to provide respite to the people after the massive snowfall. Over the issue of restoration of power in valley, the repeated
attempts to contact PDD chief Engineer could not fructify.
attempts to contact PDD chief Engineer could not fructify.
According to IGP Traffic Muneer Ahmad Khan, the traffic department is trying to best to clear the stranded vehicles on national highway and no fresh traffic will be allowed to ply from Jammu to Srinagar or vice versa on Thursday. “Day after tomorrow if weather was fine, we will allow the traffic to ply normally,” he added. (KNS)