Naya Kashmir: Patients Carried on Shoulders to Hospitals
WS/VP Desk
Srinagar, Jan 03 : It’s a Winter Wonderland in Kashmir! However, it’s not as easy as it looks in the reels; in reality, it poses many challenges for villagers who are still cut off from their main towns, as snow has yet to be cleared from their routes.
The Web Story/The Varmul Post accessed two videos from different locations in northern Kashmir where people carried emergency patients to the hospital on their shoulders, as the roads have not been cleared following heavy snowfall earlier this week.
In one of the video, residents of Yamlar Bala in Rajwar, Handwara, were forced to carry a woman and her newborn on their shoulders after she was discharged from the hospital. A 500-meter stretch of road leading to the village remained blocked due to heavy snow, making it impossible for vehicles to pass. While 3.5 kilometers of the road had been cleared, the final stretch remained inaccessible due to the narrowness of the path, preventing snow-clearing machinery from reaching it.
In another video accessed by The Web Story/The Varmul Post, residents of Athwatoo village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district were seen carrying a patient on their shoulders for several kilometers to reach the hospital, as the road connecting the village to the main town has yet to be cleared.
In the video, the residents expressed frustration, saying, “Politicians only come here during election season. Where are their aides now, at a time when we need them?”
However, regarding the issue in Handwara, authorities assured that the remaining part of the road would be cleared soon and will be made easily accessible to the public.
Meanwhile, questions arise amid claims of development and a changing scenario: Is this really visible on the ground? Are people truly living an easier life during this harsh winter?
However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also directed all Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the Kashmir Division earlier this week to prepare for the upcoming challenges.
Looking ahead, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for enhanced preparedness in light of the snowfall forecast for the following week. He called for prioritizing snow clearance on link roads, inner lanes, and bylanes to ensure accessibility for residents. However, where is the action? Why do people still face challenges?
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the harshest period of winter — which began on December 21.
