Army launches operation to rescue 1000 stranded people at Kargil

Kargil, Dec 7 (UNI) A massive operation has been launched by the Army to airlift more than 1000 people, mostly porters and labourers working with the troops, who are stranded at Drass and Kargil after the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway was closed for six winter months due to heavy snowfall on November 15.

Meanwhile, the authorities have given up the hope to recover the body of a Kashmiri teacher who was buried alive in a snow avalanche on the highway at Zero point on November 25. However, the body of another teacher was recovered jointly by the local residents of Pandras and Matayen and the police.

The rescue operation could not be resumed because the area witnessed heavy snowfall and there was also bad weather prevailing in the entire belt. About a dozen vehicles are stranded on the highway at different places because of the snowfall.

Official sources said local authorities have sought the Army's assistance to airlift the stranded passengers from Kargil and Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia.

However, the snow on the runway of the Kargil Airport was not removed and about 250 stranded pessengers were taken to Leh by road and later airlifted to Srinagar.

The number of outsiders, mostly porters and labourers working with troops, has been increasing. These people, mostly from the plains including Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu want to leave for their respective states becuase of the severe cold weather due to heavy snowfall on the upper reaches.

The authorities have decided to issue kerosene oil to stranded passengers.

However, there is an acute shortage of essential commodities, particuarly eggs, onion and butter in Kargil and Drass.

The authorities claimed there was sufficient stock of gas cylinders, kerosene oil, rice, atta and sugar for winter months.

The rescue teams, searching for the body, have returned without making any breakthrough.

UNI XC/BAS PB BD1428