Two persons, one of them a 23-year-old orphan, and the other being a 33-year-old man who is survived by his wife besides old-aged parents died while waiting for the Jammu-Srinagar highway to reopen. Some political parties reacted by calling it “criminal negligence” on parts of the authorities while others said that stranded people are left to the mercy of harsh weather on the highway, the only surface link to Kashmir with the outside world. The administration said that they died due to suffocation as the duo had brought firepot and coal inside while wrapping their vehicle with a tarpaulin. In the aftermath of the tragic incident, the officials issued advisory, urging commuters and drivers to avail the facilities of ‘Rahat Centres and Shelter Sheds’ set up at various places en-route Highway in district Ramban in case of inclement weather or suspension of traffic.
Statement by politicians and administration have their own merits even as it is also a fact that winter invariably brings a lot of hardships to the people of Kashmir. The fight gets tougher in absence of paraphernalia including safer gadgets and reliable electricity in homes. On the intervening night of November 28 and 29 last year, a mother and her two minor daughters died purportedly due to suffocation in Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla while a Bukahri (wood burning heater) was lit in their room to protect against the chill. The pictures of a five-member family belonging to Kupwara district found dead in their rented accommodation in Mansoor Colony in Srinagar’s Bemina area in January last year still continues to haunt the memories of people. It is also not the case that these deaths occur once in a while but such incidents happen recurrently. The threat of asphyxia is very high in the use of gas or kerosene heaters and charcoal bukharis. Many people have died in sleep due to gas leakage or heater burning off all oxygen in the room.
Health experts also believe that number of death and complications can be avoided by making the public aware of the preventive measures. It needs no special emphasis that the safety of instruments requires continuous watch, with no scope for waivers. There is a need to strengthen the approach to the public as well as occupational safety. The government needs to create awareness about the hazards as also the safety measures about the use of the various heating gadgets. Also, people need to be careful about using all types of heaters. Those with heart disease and asthma, as also the elderly, need to be more guarded.
