Day after Greater Kashmir reported about people ferrying patients on a cot and dragging an oxygen cylinder on the snow-covered road in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the district administration said that control room had received no call for help from the residents.
Greater Kashmir had reported that people from Panaar village were facing immense hardships due to non-clearance of snow from the roads.
A couple of youth, without taking rest anywhere, had carried a female patient two kilometres on their shoulders to Ahmeshareef where from she was taken in a vehicle to the hospital.
The people had asked the Deputy Commissioner to himself visit the village and see how they were suffering.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner BandiporaOwais Ahmad said, “Nobody called us for help. The issue came to our notice only though the (Greater Kashmir) news report. Even our control room didn’t receive any call from the area.”
He said the road had been cleared of snow but due to recent dip in temperatures, frost had accumulated on it.
Ahmad said that to remove the frost, the administration immediately made the salt available.
“We have specially instructed the R&B department to keep supply and stock of salt for all those areas facing connectivity issues due to frost and snow. The ARTO has also been directed to resume public transport to the Panaar village,” he said.
Ahmad said that those facing issues related to snowfall should call the control room.
“A disaster response force has been kept ready 24×7 to deal with the situation and to redress the grievances of the people,” he said.
Executive Engineer R&B, Abdul Hamid told Greater Kashmir that after spraying salt on the road, the snow cutter machines resumed their job.
“Now the road is motorable and people are happy,” he said.