Modi government’s lofty claims of development in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) following the 2019 abrogation of special status ring hollow for Kashmiris, as starkly reflected in the plight of residents of Jumagund, a remote village in Kupwara district, who have remained cut off from the district headquarters for over a week due to heavy snowfall. 

According to Kashmir Media Service, the prolonged isolation has crippled daily life in the area, with essential supplies and services failing to reach the residents. The situation has grown increasingly dire, leaving the local population struggling without adequate support to cope with everyday hardships.  The residents of the area said that from Putakhan Galli to Jumagund, the road remains buried under the snow, forcing them to remain isolated.

“We are unable to move around due to snow accumulated on the only road connecting Jumagund with the outside world,” they said. Residents, in a video message to a Srinagar-based daily, said that despite the passage of more than a week since heavy snowfall blocked the Kupwara–Jumagund road, authorities have yet to clear the route for vehicular movement. They said that the concerned department looking after Kupwara-Jumagund road has miserably failed to restore connectivity. 

The road blockade has triggered acute shortages of ration and other essential commodities. Locals said patients are being carried on makeshift cots for over 12 kilometres to reach Putakhan Galli before arranging transport to Kupwara. The situation is further aggravated by the complete absence of healthcare staff in the area, leaving residents with little access to medical care. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)