Locals Ferry Male Patient On Stretcher As Authorities ‘Yet To Clear Road of Accumulated Snow’ on Road Connecting Jumagund to Zurhama in Kupwara

Kupwara, Jan 18: Braving extreme chill amid prevailing inclement weather, people in Safawali village of Jumagund in Kupwara on early Wednesday morning had no other option than to put a male patient on a stretcher to ferry it a hospital at Zurhama as the road connecting the areas, as per locals, continues to remain shut due to accumulated snow.

A group of locals said that a 42-year-old person, Irshad Ahmad Raina son of Farooq Ahmad Raina, developed abdominal pain the previous night. “The patient was given medication, but he didn’t show any signs of relief, following which it was decided to evacuate him to a hospital at Zurhama, which is some 25 kilometres from here”, they said. “As the road is yet to be cleared of the accumulated snow, the patient had to be put on a stretcher”, they claimed.

Deputy Sarpanch Jumagund, seconding the claims of locals, said that “even as the persons ferrying him (patient) started their journey at around 5 in the morning, they were however yet to reach their destination.”

“We not only fear for the safety of the patient but for those ferrying him alike as the weather is very cold”, he said.

The deputy village-head in the meantime alleged that the interior roads are also yet to be cleared of the accumulated snow.

“We urge the authorities to clear the roads as soon as possible to alleviate our sufferings”, he said.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Doifode Sagar Dattaray said that there have been frequent avalanche warnings amid prevailing weather conditions. “With the (avalanche) warnings being high, we don’t want to act in haste as it may put the precious lives on stake”, he said. (GNS)