The tragic loss of five members of a Tangdhar family during the intervening night of January 4 and January 5, at their temporary shelter in Bemina-Srinagar came as shocking news, this cold snowy morning. Heart wrenching part of the story is that the deceased family members include two kids, aged 8 and 5 years. Preliminary reports suggest that the deaths took place due to asphyxiation. This indicates the lack of awareness and the casual approach taken by the people while using the heating gadgets especially LPG gas heaters.While it is essential to keep the homes warm during the freezing temperatures of Kashmir’s winter season, the casual use of heating appliances or gadgets or traditional hearts has been a cause of serious concern. A number of such tragic incidents in which precious lives were loss during past few winters in Kashmir valley are related to use of gas heaters.Even as the use of gas heaters by the people in Kashmir will not stop due to such incidents because of biting cold, there is a dire need for awareness campaigning among the people on dos and don’t’s.The governor led administration must take necessary measures to make people aware through its department of health and family welfare to make people aware particularly in rural areas in this regard.There should be a wide publicity on safety measures to be adopted by the people while using the heating gadgets especially the LPG heaters so that such heartrending disasters do not take place in future.
