CHITRAL: The recent heavy snowfall has broken record of previous so many decades. There was snowfall from five to six feet in the Kailash Valley bumborat and Sheikhanda, which affected the communication system there. The roads were closed for all types vehicular traffic, supply of electricity from a private power house also suspended as there is no power supply by WAPDA, mobile phones were not working and people of the area can not contact their relatives and shops had severe shortage of food items. Locals say they removed the snow from the road on self help basis, so that people could at least bring food for themselves. Abdul Qayyum says that we were forced to lift the bulls from the houses and cleanse the snow from the road. There was a severe shortage of necessities in valley. He said that when Telenor’s service was suspended, we collected the donation and sent the oil to the hill above it so that at least our contact with our own relatives could be restored and we could get the news of each other’s goodwill.
The Qazi of the Kalash community Zur Mohammad Kailash says that when it was snow, not only our roads were closed but the Telenor service was also suspended. Power was off. He said that the road was voluntarily opened by both Kailash and the Muslim community, but later the tractor of the Kailash Development Authority made a little clearer.
Locals thanked the renowned physician and social worker, Dr. Mohammad Adnan Bhutta, who always ready to help them in every hour of trouble. This time too, with his efforts, the media team reached the valley of Kailash and before that he has also set up free medical camp for some time when there was no doctor here.
Abdul Jabbar is also a tour guide of the area and a social worker. He said that the snowfall that took place on February 29 was badly affected this scenic valley. We are clearing snowfall from roads and opening the road ourselves as well as we taking the sick to the hospital on back and shoulders, but we have not yet supported by the government. He said that during the snow, tourists often enjoy the snowfall by going to Murree, Swat and Kalam because the roads of these areas are open but there is no tourist here because the roads were closed here and the communication department of Federal government NHA was also disappeared from the scene. If the communication system is improved, tourists will came here and stay in our hotels, which will also provide us opportunity for earning livelihood and jobs.
“We only have six months of business season and our hotels are closed for six months due to server cold weather and snowfall, the communication system is not good here,” said Abdul Khaliq Kailash, president of the Kailash Valley Hotel Association.
Khalil Ahmed, chairman of the Kailash Valley, said that the road of bombing has been handed over to the National Highway Authority and that the road construction as well as the removal of snow and debris from the road is also included in his contract with construction company, but this time the NHA was very disappointed us. Not only they have stopped construction work on the road, but the snow has not been removed from the road by them and it is feared that the contractor may be withdrawn the fund for snow clearance with the support of NHA officers and will pass the bill.
The people of Kalash valley demanded that the communication system must be improved here so that the tourists can come here easily like other areas during the snowfall, and even in the cold weather, this backward area can be developed by promoting winter tourism here. They also complained of tourism department that they did nothing for promoting snow sports or winter tourism in Kalash valleys Bumborat, Rubmor and Birir.
By: Gul Hamad Farooqi
