Sajjad Shaheen demands snow-clearance machinery in Banihal;

Urges Administration to restore utility services in snow effected areas;

Banihal, Nov 10 ; National Conference (NC) leader and District president, Ramban, Mir Sajjad Shaheen has appealed to the LG administration to sanction advanced snow clearance machinery in district Ramban particularly in the snow bound Banihal and Gool areas.

 Shaheen said that it is unfortunate that the entire district Ramban which is a high snow prone zone and witnesses heavy snowfall during winters has not even a single snow cutting machine nor snow vehicles, ploughs, cutters, and front-end loaders available with the administration. 

He said the entire district Ramban and Gool receive heavy snowfall and several villages remain cut off from the district headquarters for many days during the frosty winter due to the heavy accumulation of snow.

Shaheen said that “Some areas like Mahu-Mangit, Khari, Trigam, Neel, Pogal, Maligam, Paristan, Sarachi, Amkote, Thachi, Hinjhal, Chaknarwa , Chamalwas receive four to six feet snow, and due to lack of the snow clearance machinery the administration fails to open the snow-clogged roads in these areas for several weeks. The administration should procure snow cutters and other snow clearance machinery for district Ramban,”. He added that often JCBs hired by the administration from local contractors are pressed into service, which do not solve the purpose as tens of thousand villagers in the snow bound areas remain cut off due to heavy snowfall in the region and a lack of timely snow clearance.

Shaheen further said that it is a common practice during heavy snowfalls that dozens of medical emergencies had to be shifted to hospitals on foot as most of the roads remain blocked in snowdrifts. People have to often carry the ailing on the stretchers through knee-deep snow and treacherous pathways.

Shaheen asked the administration to put in place a robust mechanism and gear up its machinery to meet any eventuality given the approaching winter. 

Shaheen has also urged the Administration to expedite restoration work and ensure supply of essential commodities besides electricity and drinking water to the people during the ongoing harsh winter.