Many Victim families sleep under Open Sky, Closed Hospital Triggers Protest
In Modern Age: Village Has No Electricity, Tap Water Supply System
IMRAN SHAH
KISHTWAR:DD, Margi is a remote village of Marwah Sub Division of Kishtwar District that was devastated with the cloudburst three days back, following incessant rainfall in the region.
The locals claim that over 200 families were affected by the natural disaster that washed away their cattles, livestocks, and stored ration in their respective homes as they were preparing for the winter season.
However, the heavy down, and subsequent cloudburst has ruined everything.
Following the devastation, the affected locals were expecting prompt response from the authorities, relief organisations, and politicians. None of them responded as expected.
“The hospital is locked and the population is left without healthcare,” the locals in a viral-video, crying for help.
A helipad was prepared for the landing of the helicopter in Margi as a senior administrative officer was arriving there to review the situation. That visit too could not be possible even after three days, one of the local residents of Margi village, informed.
Amid complete negligence, the helpless disaster victim, Abdul Rashid Lone, an elderly person from the village told Diplomat Digital that: “We are forced to live under the sky. The houses are filled with mud-stones, damaging the structures badly, after the flash flood in the Nallah in Margi village. Same Nallah is one of the main sources of water to drink from.”
That day, he along with his family were busy in daily chores when they heard a horrifying sound (like crashing of a plane) from the Magri Nallah. The village was in panic and all of them ran towards the higher areas alongside the road. Fortunately, no life was lost. But hardly any structure (residential house) could survive the massive flash flood and mudslides. Almost all the houses were damaged, fully or partially, said Lone.
He said that the local police had come to the village, and they assured all possible help. A ration depot has provided some ration to the villagers.
“We need support and help from the authorities to reconstruct the damaged village, restore basic amenities and re-opening of the road that links Margi village. The road is still closed and allegedly no effort has been made to open the road,” he claimed.
The elderly person claimed that the village has no electricity supply or clean drinking water supply system (tap-water). They use solar panels for electricity and natural water sources to use as drinking water.
Meanwhile, the authorities claim that they are trying their best to reach out to the Margi village.DD
