Cracks in Gojawara Houses

Deadly cracks have surfaced in some houses at Chandpora, Gojwara in Shahr-e-Khaas as the earth beneath has caved-in thereby risking the life and property of people. Around 20 people living there have been rendered homeless due to the sudden cracking and sinking of the earth in the congested area.

THE GENESIS

 The locals said trouble erupted on June 15 when suddenly three of the houses developed cracks.

 “On looking for the cause of the fissures we found that basically the earth beneath had caved in,” said one of the affected Ghulam Hassan Koul while pointing towards the veranda of his house where the support pillar is hanging in the air.

MIGRATION

 Inside of the cracked houses revealed a scary picture. At least three rooms had drastically caved in giving a look of steep slope inside one of the houses.

 The incident sent the alarm bells ringing with the government asking the inmates to migrate from the affected buildings.

 “We have migrated on assurance from our MLA that the government would pay the rentals for our accommodation apart from providing us with alternative land,” the affected families said.

GOVT AWARE

 Sources said apart from the MLA Khanyar, the District Development Commissioner Meraj Ahmed Kakroo visited the site to review the matter. Kakroo is understood to have asked the department of Geology and Mining and other concerned agencies to look into the causes of the earth sinking. The report is expected to tabled soon after which the government will decide future course of action.

TROUBLE ELSEWHERE

 The locals said earlier this year in May the main road too had caved in at some places in the Gojwara area.

 “But that time the authorities didn’t pay any heed to the issue,” the locals said.

THE AFFECTED

 The affected  families, as per the locals include Ghulam Hassan Koul son of Muhammad Sultan Koul, Bashir Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Muhammad Bhat and Ali Muhammad Makhdoomi son of Ghulam Rasool.