Muneeb-ul-Islam
Anantnag, Mar 7, KNT: The congested old town areas of South Kashmir’s Anantnag remain highly vulnerable to devastating fires due to the absence of a functional fireproof mechanism, with locals raising serious concerns over defunct fire plugs across several localities.
Residents of Reeshi Bazar, Cheeni Chowk, Malkahnag, Sherpora, Kadipora, Bakshiabad, and Sarnal complain that most fire hydrants installed decades ago are now non-functional, making firefighting operations difficult in case of emergencies.
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Zahoor Waza, a resident of Kadipora, highlighted the severity of the issue. “A few days ago, a fire broke out in a residential house. Had there been no nearby spring water, the flames could have engulfed the entire locality, as all the fire plugs were defunct,” he said.
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The town, however, is fortunate to have several natural water springs—Reshmol Sahib, Malakhnag, Sunarpakhur, Gajnag, and Heemal Nag—that have helped mitigate fire-related disasters. “It takes time for firemen to fetch water from these springs, and during major infernos, the water sources can drain quickly, leaving entire areas at risk,” said Manzoor Ahmad, a shop owner who lost his business in a fire four months ago.
Locals informed the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the existing fire plugs, installed nearly 35 years ago, have become obsolete due to rusting and a lack of maintenance, with very few new ones being installed over the years.
Assistant Director Fire and Emergency Services Anantnag, Moinul Islam, acknowledged the problem but clarified that the responsibility for maintaining fire plugs lies with the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department. “We have sent a proposal to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, and once approved, we will take steps to address the issue,” he said. [KNT]
