Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Mar 03 : On February 24, Farooq Ahmad received a call from Dawar Gurez that his maternal uncle has been very sick for the last few days and he wants to meet his sister (Fazi Bagem), who have migrated from Gurez to Bandipora in winter season.
Gurez, a picturesque valley in Bandipora district is located along LOC and remains cut off from the rest of Kashmir during winter months due to heavy snowfall.
Farooq Ahmad, a government teacher said, that after receiving the news he knocked on the door of the administration and told them to airlift my mother Gurez from Bandipora so that she can meet her sick brother but no one was paying attention to his pleas while his maternal uncle’s condition was getting worse each passing day.
“Everyday I was visiting the administration and concerned officials and informing them of my helplessness. Everyone was assuring me that my mother would be taken to Gurez but nothing was happening on the ground,” he said.
Fazi, desperate to see her sick brother, said that she was continuously visiting NHPC helipad but the helicopter which was flying to and fro did not lift her even after repeated requests.
On Monday mid-night Farooq received a message of his maternal uncle’s death.
“I didn’t tell my mother directly but instead pretend that he is fine but want to meet you, ” Farooq said.
“Today my mother left for Gurez. But I don’t think there’s any point going there now. His brother is already dead and has been buried,” he said. “I will say one thing, sometimes human emotions should also be valued, ” Farooq said with tears in his eyes.
Farooq said patients and students were the worst affected. “Medical care becomes very difficult during the winter months. We have to beg the civilian authorities and the Army to airlift critical patients,” he said.
He further said that the tunnel is the only alternative for uninterrupted connectivity and urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the matter personally—(KNO)
