‘In absence of water, mud, stones used to douse flames; Less literacy rate, down to earth people, labour class majority in Marwan paints grim picture, Fire affected demand immediate rehab, safety of livestock ahead of winters’
Imran Shah
Kishtwar, Oct 18 (TDD): Wrinkles on his face, tears in his eyes, not able to speak properly, an elderly Abdul Jamaal is not able to come to terms.
He belongs to the remote Mulwarwan village in Warwan area of Kishtwar where innocence reflects from the faces of every resident.
On October 16, the deadly blaze shattered the dreams of these poverty-stricken people leaving behind a huge trail of destruction behind.
“Nothing could be saved. Everything turned into ashes,” said Jamaal as tears made their way through his white beard.
“Thanks to the Almighty, the fire took place in the daytime. Had it been during the evening, the destruction would have been more. People would have been charred to death so would have our livestock.”
Even after three days of the blaze, women could be seen consoling each other hoping that they would see their homes being reconstructed again.
At least structures gutted in the blaze leaving behind hundreds of people including elderly, children, women and young girls homeless. Not just the humans but the cattle and other livestock are also homeless.
A group of young women, whose houses were turned into heaps of rubble, while narrating their ordeal, told the Diplomat that they were busy with their household chores as they heard shrieks and cries from the house of one Shahid Hussain.
“All of a sudden, we saw a thick cover of smoke engulfing the entire area with fire spreading like anything. We started running for cover. Not just our homes, but millions of dreams were shattered by the blaze.”
Warwan is a remote area of Kishtwar district. Muhammad Ashraf Wani, a resident, whose house was also turned into ashes, told the Diplomat that the village comprises illiterate people and there is very less literacy rate.
“Our village is remote and we lack proper and basic facilities like fire service station, ambulance and dispensaries,” Wani said.
He said there is a lack of water facility in the village. “Only women folk were present in their homes as male ones mostly remain busy in labour work. In absence of water, mud and stones were used to douse the flames,” Wani said.
In total, 84 houses and 57 cow sheds were burnt in the fire. “Almost 400 persons have been affected. “There were almost 15 villages that got badly affected due to the fire,” said another resident.
In the fire affected Warwan, lack of development paints a grim picture as there are only three high schools, no college, no medical facility for the 25000 population. The area remains cut off from the district headquarter Kishtwar.
Majority of fire-affected people of Warwan demanded immediate Rehabilitation ahead of winters, not just for themselves for their cattle and other livestock as well. “We have no demand, just give us shelter again and also for our livestock. People and politicians make tall promises, then they forget us,” the fire victims said amid moist eyes. Yesterday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the fire affected people and assured them all possible help from the J&K government. Omar had also advocated Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Package and Prime Minister’s Awas Yojna for the fire affected—(TDD)
