Kupwara, Aug 26: Hundreds of people of Hayhama, which was hit by hailstorm and floods on August 23, today staged protests against the PDD, R&B and PHE, accusing them of failing to restore services in the affected area.
 The protesters staged a sit-in at Hayhama and raised slogans against the concerned departments.
 They alleged that despite assurances from the deputy commissioner Kupwara, the concerned departments failed to restore the electricity and road connectivity to the scores of villages including Kanibhack, Kunnard, Chat, Batpora, Balhama, Baramdari, Trumnard, Guchipora, Bungam and Mirwayan.
 They said the areas were groped in darkness and they were facing immense hardships during Sehri and Iftar.
 The Trumnard stream has breached at Khoshra and is flowing on the road stretch from Batpora to Bungam. The Kupwara-Batpora road has been closed for traffic for many days, they said adding that due to the closure of road, the people particularly patients were facing hardships.
 People at Guchipora and Chat were ferrying patients on stretchers to the health dispensary Goonipora which is three kilometer away, they added.
 The floods have caused damage to the PHE schemes and there is acute shortage of drinking water in the area. “Women cover long distances to fetch water form open streams which are highly contaminated,” the protestors added. 
 “Though assessment teams have estimated 100 per cent loss to the standing crops and orchards still administration has not announced any concrete package for the affected areas. We appeal to the CM to intervene and save our children from starvation” said Bashir Ahmad who owned several plots of walnut trees and paddy crop, which got damaged due to hailstorm.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST