Jammu, February 11
A little more of snowfall and most of the Doda region would have turned into a snowy grave. The region which witnessed the heaviest-ever snowfall this season still remains cut off from the rest of the world, thanks to poor road network.

Even now the administration is not sure about the exact loss of life and property due to the snow as the communication system is yet to be restored.

The heavy snowfall has come in the immediate aftermath of the severe drought last season. The government had announced three months’ free ration for the people in the drought-hit areas and now they have been hit by heaviest and the worst-ever snowfall.

The snowfall has also exposed the poor infrastructure in the region. More than a week has already passed and no supply line has been established to affected areas so far. The best the affected people have got so far is the regular flying visits of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and nothing more. In fact, the Chief Minister cannot do anything as the government has to wait for the snow to melt down so that the roads get clear.

Azad expressed concern over the situation in the districts of Kishtwar and Doda following snapping of road links and essential supplies. All the tehsil and block headquarters were cut off from the district headquarters and full restoration of the supply and communication network was likely to take some time. He said road connectivity of several blocks in Ramban, Udhampur and Reasi districts was also snapped and yet to be restored.

The government machinery, including the Chief Minister, is too worried about the loss of life and property caused by the snowfall. Since no communication has been possible with the affected areas, it is difficult to make any estimate of the losses so far.

The Chief Minister himself admitted the poor road connectivity and communications in the area which have made the relief measures difficult. He said the vagaries of weather had resulted in extreme problems to the people in all areas of the state but since the Doda region, comprising Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts, was geographically a difficult and mostly unconnected area, the recent heavy snowfall had caused more hardships to the local people.

Given this scenario, he asked his Principal Secretary Anil Goswami to call an emergency meeting of the administrative secretaries and senior officers concerned to ensure immediate restoration of utility services.