Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR
Even after four days since the devastating fire reduced the whole Sukhni village of Warwan in Kishtwar district to ashes, the people of the area have now become vulnerable to various epidemic diseases as large number of animals including horses, cows, Oxen, goats, sheep and other livestock perished alive in the blaze.
Huge quantity of food grains dumped by the villagers for winter in advance was completely destroyed as well.
As per the details available with Kashmir Life, the foul smell has started coming out of the debris which is still lying unattended in the village as no major relief team other than police party lead by Dy SP operations Irshad Ahmad Ahanger and army party of 19 RR reached the effected village.
The people informed the Kashmir Life that IAF chopper pressed into service by the government instead of dropping the relief material near the fire affected village dropped the same near adjoining village which is far about 3 hour by foot. Sukhni village has no proper road connectivity, yet.
“We are living in 21st century and our choppers fail to land at the village despite the fact that huge chunk of plain land is available adjacent to Sukhni village,” people said. They said that government should expedite the process of shifting of relief material dumped at Kishtwar helipad by pushing more and more choppers for quick relief.
The sources said that IAF Chopper pressed into the service by the government instead of airlifting the relief material lifted “some non-entities” and only two ton load were airlifted by the chopper.
The sources said that the IAF officials instead of cooperating with the local administration were busy in “showing their arrogance and causing one or the other hindrance” in shifting the relief material.
The sources said that civil and police administration are using all its men and machinery for speedy mobilization of relief material, but same could not be expedited “due to non-cooperation” of IAF officials.
While talking to Kashmir Life Chief Medical Officer Kishtwar said that sufficient stock of medicine is available in the fire affected areas, besides a team of doctors headed by BMO Dachhan is also camping in the area.
He added that the things are being monitored and as off now there is no report of breaking out of any epidemic in the area.
“Situation is being monitored effectively and all precautions are being taken to deal with any eventuality,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti is expected to visit the fire affected village today as a result of which all the District officers are rushing to Sukhni village to take stock of the situation as well as the progress of the relief and rehabilitation.
She is likely to make various announcements with regard to welfare and rehabilitation of the affected families.
