Snowfall brings life to a standstill

A fifth spell of snow in Kashmir has brought life to a standstill with people protesting the administration’s failure to clear blocked roads and ensure power supply.

The authorities in Srinagar have confirmed that more than 50 houses have collapsed due to heavy snowfall. They said all vulnerable inhabitants have been shifted to safer places. Health care services have been impacted and reports from the rural areas said that many critical patients, especially pregnant women, are left stranded as the government has made no effort to provide facilities to inaccessible areas.

Reports said that snow-cutters were busy in the city and in the towns, leaving the hinterland unaided.

According to the meterological department, Kashmir this year has seen the heaviest snowfall in the past 25 years. Director of the met department, Sonam Lotus has confirmed that the latest snowfall has broken the records of heavy snowfalls witnessed in Kashmir in 1992 and 2006.

Thousands of vehicles carrying food, fuel and other essential commodities are stranded on the highway. Reports have further said that there have been fresh landslides on the highway, due to which it will not be opened for at least two more days.

The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir has told the media that the restoration of electricity across the valley was a difficult task and the Power Development Department (PDD) was working on it.

LPG distributors have already said that they were running out of stocks due to the closure of the highway.

In uptown localities of Srinagar, water-logging has emerged as a major problem due to the melting of snow and because of rains. The authorities said that they would press the water-pumps into service and said that all these localities would be cleared of water very soon.