Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR
After two weeks of devastating fire incident that reduced 115 houses of Sukhnai village of Warwan to ashes, in another tragic fire incident in Padder, at least 20 residential houses which belong to Buddhist community were gutted on Tuesday evening in Kachroni hamlet of village Ghandari, some 60 KM from Gulabgard Padder.
As per details available with Kashmir Life, reports coming from Padder suggested that fire broke out in village Khachroni (General area – Gandhari) of Tehsil Padder in Kishtwar district in which around twenty houses which belonged to Buddhist community were completely destroyed while some animals are alos reported to have perished in the said incident.
While talking to Kashmir Life SSP Kishtwar Sandeep Kumar Wazir said that after receiving information, a police party from Police Post Ishtyari falling under Police Station Atholi Padder immediately rushed to the fire affected hamlet.
He said that the locals living in nearby Muthal village informed the police that the hamlet comprises of about more than twenty houses. “As reported by locals, all houses have been burnt to ashes.”
He said the fire incident started at around 6 PM and in no time it engulfed the whole hamlet.
He said that the area lacks communication and it takes at least 3 to 4 hours by foot from the main road to reach the affected hamlet.
“Due to lack of communication, the police party which rushed towards the affected village is yet to establish the contact with police control room,” he said, “only after police party return from the spot, the actual losses could be ascertained.”
“It is premature to say anything about the type and nature of loss, but what people told us; the whole village has been reduced to ashes,” said the SSP Kishtwar.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Ghulam Nabi Balwan confirmed to Kashmir Life about the massive fire incident in Kachroni hamlet of Padder sub-division.
He said that the sub-divisional administration and the Tehsildar concerned have been directed to reach out the affected families.
He said that district administration has kept the relief material including tents, kitchen sets, blankets, ration and other help ready for the fire affected families.
The DC further said that the district administration has brought the matter into the notice of Government as well as into the notice of Divisional Commissioner Jammu, besides has requested for airlifting of the relief material to the affected hamlet.
He said that the preliminary reports suggested that 18 to 20 houses were damaged in this tragic fire incident.
“Like in earlier case of Sukhnai village, the houses in this Padder hamlet were constructed in cluster and due to prevailing cold weather conditions, the people used firewood to keep the houses warm which might be the cause of the incident,” he observed. “Once police and revenue officials will not submit the report, the exact losses couldn’t be ascertain.”
It is pertinent to mention that the village Gandhari is situated at high altitude, and is Bordering Pangi sub-division of Himachal Pradesh.
The village lacks road and telecommunication network. The night temperature in the village mostly remains sub-zero and the area remains cut off from the district headquarter Kishtwar for nearly 6-7 months in year.
The people before the snowfall begin dumping of the ration and other essential commodities in advance for hassle free winter.
