The snowfall started in Srinagar on January 3. Within a day, the city lanes were clogged with more than two feet of snow, making it impossi...
The snowfall started in Srinagar on January 3. Within a day, the city lanes were clogged with more than two feet of snow, making it impossible for residents to venture out even during emergencies.
Watching the snow from his house in Miskeen Bagh, Abdul Qayoom Khan grew anxious. His sister-in-law had tested positive for Covid-19 and was on oxygen support. The oxygen cylinder to which she was hooked was running dry. A replacement was needed.
“Everything was blocked and the streets were covered under snow,” the 58-year-old businessman recalled. “My nephew went out on foot. After many hours, he managed to get an oxygen cylinder for his mother from somewhere.”
But the family could not stop worrying. “We were afraid about how we would take her to the hospital, if her condition deteriorated,” said Khan. “The ambulance couldn’t have entered our lane because of uncleared snow.”
On January 5, when no one showed up from the municipal corporation to clear the snow, Khan along with his son and neighbours picked up shovels and spent five hours clearing an 80-metre stretch. “The snow had frozen and it was really difficult to break it,” he recalled. The eight men were able to clear a narrow path, just enough for...
