Shopian: Mobile numbers put out as helplines were switched off when they were needed for snow clearance, electricity or water supply restoration in Shopian district on Monday, while almost all the link roads remained under snow for the second consecutive day.
Locals from many areas of the district informed Kashmir Reader that the helpline numbers notified by the administration were switched off during the day.
Junaid Ahmad, a resident of Imam Sahib area, told Kashmir Reader that even the main road was not cleared of snow by the authorities.
The Imam Sahib to Pulwama road and other link roads to dozens of villages also remained unusable due to accumulation of snow, residents of Imam Sahib area said.
The district administration did restore electricity and water supply in the town area during the day.
However, areas like Hendew, Narwani and their adjacent villages are still without electricity since Saturday night and so are the many areas which get power supply from Chitragam Recieving Station.
All public and private transport was off the roads in the district due to the accumulation of snow as only a narrow part of even the main roads was cleared.
Fayaz Ahmad, Assistant Executive Engineer at the Mechanical Engineering Department, told Kashmir Reader that 80 percent of the “first priority” roads were cleared of snow but most of the link roads were still not cleared.
According to official data, there are only 18 small and big snow-clearance machines for districts Shopian and Pulwama, much less than needed given the area and number of roads.
Executive Engineer at the Power Development Department, Irshad Hussain Choudhary, said that electricity had been restored in 80 percent of the district and work on the rest is underway.
Meanwhile, two persons identified as Irshad Ahmad and Gayas ud din were injured when a JCB on snow clearance work turned turtle at Awneera village of Shopian. An official from the Roads and Buildings Department said that they sustained minor injuries and are stable.
Also, Deputy commissioner Shopian Choudhary Muhammad Yasin made a surprise visit to the district hospital during the day to take stock of the arrangements.

Raashid Hassan