Kupwara, 22-Jan;People living in dozens of far-flung and remote villages — including border towns of Keran, Karnah, Machil and Tanghdar – continued to suffer as they remained cutoff from rest of the valley due to slippery road conditions following heavy snowfall in north Kashmir.The only road link connecting Karnah with district headquarters Kupwara continues to remain closed, thereby putting residents into a lot of inconveniences.Locals told CNS, the closure of only road link has put them into a lot of inconveniences as several patients, students and employees are stranded from both sides of Sadhna Top.They said that the areas remain cut-off from district headquarters and rest of the valley during winter months due to heavy snowfall in the area and at Sadhna Top. Scores of passengers supposed to visit Karnah were stranded due to the suspension of vehicular movement.An attendant of a patient from Karnah said that it had been two days since his wife was discharged from hospital but due to blockade of road, they were unable to move towards their native village.The residents said that people from Karnah, Machil, Keran, Kumkadi, Jumgund, Safawari, Moori, Budnamal, Mankal, and Monbal often get stranded for several days in Kupwara or Handwara due to inclement weather during winters and face severe hardships.“Due to the lockdown enforced to contain coronavirus, we could not hold a protest, but once it is over, we will again protest until our demands are met,” said Raja Abdul Hamid, sarpanch of Dildar village in Karnah Tehsil.He said that the Karnah constituency situated along the Line of Control with Pakistan remains cut off from rest of Kashmir valley in winter and lacks basic amenities and every year the residents hold a protest in Srinagar and Karnah to press for their demand.. “We have been doing it for the last 30 years and will continue to do so,” he said.The border residents said that instead of taking unwanted time for the construction of the Sadhna tunnel, the central government must install a snow tunnel/ shed at the vital places prone to avalanches to eliminate the chances of untoward incidents and fatal accidents.(CNS)
