Asif Iqbal Naik
KL NEWS NETWORK
KISHTWAR
In a tragic fire incident in remote Sukhni village of Marwah Tehsil in Kishtwar District, at least 25 residential houses, cattle sheds and shops were gutted in a devastated fire incident that broke out in the village around 5.30 PM today.
Details available with Kashmir Life suggest the villagers detected the fire in time and raised the alarm too. But due to non availability of road and communication, the majority of the houses were completely gutted.
The locals of the area with whom the villagers established the contact from a nearby telephone (STD) informed the Kashmir Life that around 25 houses were destroyed in the village when last contact was established and the fire was yet to be brought under control.
They said that only the village mosque and the shrine of a Sufi saint were saved. The village having has 50 families and most of their belongings including houses, grain houses, and cowsheds were destroyed.
The panoramic village Sukhni is situated under the foot hills of Nunkhun mountain range and is the last village of Kishtwar District and the state of Jammu and Kashmir bordering Ladakh and Phalgham. The village is at a distance of two days journey by foot and as there was no road, electricity or communication in the village and the houses are built by wooden logs, dry thatch and lacks fire gap as the house are connected with each other.
The villagers use fire wood to keep their houses warn as the temperature in the village mostly remains intense cold due to presence of snow on the mountains forming chain around the village situated on the bank of River Marrusudar and it is believed that the fire might be broke out in one of the house which engulf the whole village.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Ghulam Nabi Balwan confirmed the fire incident. He said due to non availability of road and communication, the exact details of loss will be ascertained only after the police and revenue parties will reach the village. He said that all the officials of the District administration has been asked to get ready for relief and rescue operation. Balwan said that the matter has been brought into the notice of Divisional Commissioner Jammu and said that efforts are on to airlift the relief material and the rescue team early in the morning. He said that the relief operation in terms of providing tenants, ration, medicines and other items will be provided to the affected families only in the morning. He said that some teams from adjoining Marwah and Inshan have been asked to rush to the village for early start of the rescue and relief operation. However no report of any loss of life has been received from the affected village.
