Admin missing in action to redress snowfall aftermath across Kashmir: NC’s Nasir

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday said the administration has miserably failed in its duty while coping up with weather vagaries across Kashmir province following the snowfall.
For the third consecutive day, normal life across Kashmir division remains paralyzed as the administration has failed to restore essential services across Kashmir, said Party’s Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani while expressing dismay over the slackness of the administration on its response to the snowfall aftermath. “Local administration has miserably failed to restore water, electricity and roads links across Kashmir on the third consecutive day after snowfall causing predicament to the people on multiple accounts. People are travelling miles by foot to get necessary household merchandise and fetch their ailing family members to hospitals in far-flung areas. The piled up snow, inundated localities, power-outages, water shortage and unavailability of necessary edibles reveals how successful the divisional administration has been in its response to the snowfall aftermath. The administration’s claim on swinging its men and machinery into action to deal with the post snowfall restoration and relief work stand deflated in view of the blocked roads, and absence of basic civil amenities including power, water and other edibles. The administration is bald facedly using virtual theatrics to dodge its responsibility, while the people have been left to fend for themselves. The situation in district hospitals is equally appalling; the absence of medics and associated staff at primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare centers is taking a toll on patients,” he said.
Nasir said while the administration is missing on ground, people across Kashmir division are now voluntarily clearing snow from roads. “People from areas in Shopian, Kulgam, Kupwara, Bandipora are voluntarily clearing roads in view of the absence of a succor coming from the administration. We have been hearing reports about patients being carried on boats, sledges in rural areas. Many health centers in upper reaches of north and south Kashmir continue to remain disconnected as the approach roads are still buried under snow. The respective administrators are taking no interest in the relief and rescue operation to monitor the snow clearance operation. Contrary to what is being said, the ground situation is totally poles apart,” he added.
He said the administration besides restoring basic facilities to people has also failed to come to the rescue of stranded messengers on Srinagar-Jammu highway. “The poor lot is going without food and water on the sole national highway connecting Srinagar with rest of the country. “News reports are pouring in that many houses and cattle sheds have also got devastated by the frenzy of weather. So far the administration has failed to reach out to such places to assess the damages incurred by the people to their property and livestock. Leave aside compensation, the local district; block and tehsil level administration has failed to provide shelter, ration and other thermals to the affected. The administration has also failed to rescue stranded Gujjar families; the poor lot of people are running short of edibles. The exorbitant airfares have further compounded the woes of people. We have been repeatedly urging the government to fix a cap on air fares, but our pleas fell on deaf ears,” he said.