The Kashmir Valley is reeling under harsh winter. Though temperatures have climbed following fresh heavy snowfall on Sunday, the communications have been disrupted almost all over the scenic region. The power situation is better than it was in the wake of snowfall received earlier this month when even summer capital Srinagar was deprived of electricity between 48 to 64 hours at a stretch following reported technical snag.
But in the aftermath of the closure of vital roadlink, the Srinagar-Jammu highway, there is shortage of essential commodities particularly LPG and whatever is available is being sold at exorbitant price. The regional authorities are trying hard to cope with the situation but seem to be helpless in many ways.
What is ironic rather shocking is that most of the mainstream politicians, including MLAs-and some prominent separatists too, have abandoned the Valley and relocated to comforts in winter capital Jammu, Delhi, Mumbai and beyond, leaving the people at the mercy of hostile weather, impromptu administration and voracious traders and other unscrupulous elements who are out to seize the situation to make fast bucks. While some mainstream leaders, including MLAs-both from the ruling coalition and the Opposition, pleaded they were in touch with people using latest communication vehicles and Internet, including Facebook, Independent MLA Sheikh Abdur Rashid on Sunday said their physical presence would have made a “big difference.”
He, while expressing anguish over the absence of MLA’s in particular in the harsh weather conditions in the Kashmir Valley, said in a signed statement that “public representatives should have been in their respective constituencies to cooperate with the administration in restoring essential services.”
Mr Rashid, who himself is camping in his Langeat constituency in frontier Kupwara district, sought to remind the absentee MLAs that they had in the elections asked for votes in the name of “bijli, sadak and pani”.
He lamented, “But after winning the elections, most of the MLA’s show their insensitiveness towards the very same issues.”
“While the people are facing tremendous hardships due to severe chill, snowfall and disruption of essential services, the public representatives are expected to be present among them to empathise with them and more importantly help and guide the administration in restoration of essential services,” he added