15 village in Doda cut off from rest of J

Jammu, Mar 21 (UNI) At least fifteen villages of Bhaderwah Tehsil in Doda district are cut off from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir due to heavy rains since Monday.

According to sources, nearly 20,000 residents of these villages are facing serious problems as they got struck due to the rains that cut their way at Neeru Nullah, eight km short to Bhaderwah town, which becomes violent during the bad weather.

There was a foot bridge that was washed away in 1988 and since then no other bridge was constructed to connect these villages to other parts of the state, Mr Irshad Ahemed Khan, President Atkhar Zamidar Committee told UNI.

''People of the entire Atkhar region (the common name of the area) are forced to adopt dangerous means like rope support for crossing the Nullah,'' he said.

Last morning, an elderly woman and a fifth standard girl were washed away in a flood while the latter was going to her school to appear in an exam.

The people in villages namely, Buttla, Chabba, Bheja, Upper Bheja, Sharikhi, Thanala, Kadiyare, among others, are facing problems due to the unavailability of essential commodities.

''In such rainy days, major problem arises when somebody falls ill. It is very difficult to carry that person to the hospital at Bhaderwah or Jammu, or to get medicine,'' Mr Khan said.

Several people were still putting up in Bhaderwah town since yesterday as the Nullah was overflowing.

UNI