JAMMU, Feb 16: In a village in the Doda area of Jammu and Kashmir, more than a dozen residential homes and a mosque have developed cracks, causing the residents to relocate into temporary shelters, according to officials. A team of officials visited the impacted Gatsu hamlet to assess the situation, according to Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh, and gave some tents to the afflicted residents. We are keeping an eye on the situation and supporting the people of Gatsu. The families would be rehabilitated to safer locations if necessary, he said.The afflicted inhabitants of Gatsu, who live 10 km from Doda town on the Doda-Kishtwar stretch of National Highway-244, blamed the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for their predicament. They stated that as the ground began to drop as a result of road widening construction, huge fissures emerged in the structures. In the upcoming review meeting, the district magistrate promised to bring up the matter of compensation for the impacted families with the NHIDCL.“After the recent rains caused fractures to deepen, we abandoned our homes. Haleema Begum, 65, stated, “We have been pleading before the NHIDCL authorities and the district administration, but no one came to our rescue till date.” According to Mohd Aarif (35), they are currently residing under polyethylene sheets after leaving their dangerous dwellings. He insisted on their thorough rehabilitation as soon as possible, saying, “We are living in constant fear of attacks by wild animals like leopards and bears which keep on roaming in this area.”
