Baramulla, Jan 19: Following a tragic fire incident that engulfed four residential houses in Dachi village in the Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday, the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa, along with a team of officials, visited the affected area on Friday to assess the situation and address the concerns of the local residents.
Greater Kashmir brought attention to the grievances of the villagers who attributed the extensive damage to the poor infrastructure of the Power Development Department (PDD) and inadequate road connectivity.
Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa, during his visit, said that swift relief had been dispatched by the concerned Tehsildar and that their grievances would be thoroughly addressed.
Regarding the road connectivity issue, Sherpa said that there is some dispute among villagers over a road stretch connecting the affected village with the main road. He directed the Tehsildar to promptly investigate and resolve the matter.
Additionally, the Deputy commissioner Baramulla promised to address the issue of wooden poles in the area by engaging with the Department of Power Development, ensuring that they will be replaced with alternative electric poles.
One recurring concern highlighted by residents in the upper reaches of the Uri area is the lack of a fire tender. Deputy Commissioner Sherpa assured the people to deploy a fire tender, preferably at Salamabad Uri, to assure that during such incidents, the fire tender reaches to the upper reaches of the area.
The devastating fire, suspected to have originated from a short circuit, has highlighted the critical lapses in the village’s power and road infrastructure. Residents blame the lack of proper infrastructure in the form of electric wires and the absence of electric poles for the short circuit, while inadequate road connectivity hindered the timely arrival of fire tenders.