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Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, December 30
As Kashmir faces the harshest ‘chillai kalan’ in years, Valley residents are beset with new problems. Frozen taps and overhead water tanks have plunged the region into a water crisis.
In many areas, even the water supply lines have frozen as the region has been witnessing sub-zero temperatures with mercury dipping to a record low in 28 years in Srinagar city.
As the night temperature hovered below the sub-zero levels consistently for over a week, it had a cascading effect on the water supply lines both in Srinagar city and far-off areas of the Valley.
“For the past one week, we are facing a water crisis as the pipes supplying water to the toilet and kitchen from the overhead tank have frozen,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat, a resident of the Wannabal locality of Srinagar, which is near to the Old Air Force Station, where the temperature was recorded as low as -9°C this week.
“For the past four or five days, there was no water in the taps at my house. All water supply lines, including water tanks, were frozen. As a result, I was forced to stay at my in-law’s place where water was available,” said Farasat, a resident of Rawalpora, another city area facing a water crisis.
In many areas of the city, people were forced to fetch water from water tankers made available by the authorities.
Residents complained that finding a plumber had become difficult as people were complaining of bursting of water pipes in houses. Overhead water tanks in houses have developed cracks and plumber has become the most-wanted man this winter, they said.
Some of the solutions being offered by plumbers to thaw the frozen water pipes include leaving faucets slightly open during the night, using a hair dryer or heat gun, putting heat tapes or hot towels on the affected area.
Some respite as mercury goes up a few notches
Srinagar, December 30
Residents of the Kashmir valley got a brief respite from the deep-freeze conditions that prevailed during recent nights as the temperatures across the region registered a significant improvement.
The overnight minimum temperatures were four to six degrees higher, providing a moment of relief in an unusually cold winter.
Srinagar, the state's summer capital, recorded a low of -2.4°C, nearly five degrees warmer from previous night's low of -7.2°C.
It is for the first time in the past week, since the 40-day-long core winter period began in the region, that the night temperature in Srinagar registered a significant improvement and morning was clear of frost.
The Kashmir valley is battling an unusually cold winter and freezing weather as the night temperatures have dropped to record-low levels.
The state administration recently issued a health advisory, urging the residents to stay warm and warning that the elders and infants were at a high risk due to the cold wave.
The overnight temperatures, however, provided a respite across the Valley with Pahalgam, a resort in south Kashmir, recording a low of -2.5°C, nearly six degrees warmer from previous night's -8.3°C.
Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir, recorded a low of -4°C, which was three degrees warmer from previous night's -7°C.
The prevailing cold wave is likely to ease out in the coming days as the weather department has forecast the possibility of rain and snow on Wednesday across most parts of Kashmir. TNS
Tankers pressed into service
Rain, snow likely on Jan 2
The prevailing cold wave is likely to ease out in the coming days as the weather department has forecast the possibility of rain and snowfall on January 2 across most parts of the Kashmir valley.
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