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Jammu and Kashmir: Two houseboats of Badiyari family, New Zealand and Apollo XI, were damaged due to a massive fire in Dal Lake in the early hours of Wednesday.
CRPF and SDRF teams brought the fire under control.
Fire In Dal Lake:
Two houseboats were completely burnt to ashes after a fire broke out in two houseboats in Dal Lake in Dalgate area of Srinagar early on Wednesday. However, there is no report of any casualty due to this incident. Significantly, this incident has happened at a time when Kashmir is in the grip of rain and heavy snowfall these days.
CRPF and SDRF brought the fire under control
According to officials, a massive fire broke out in Dal Lake early on Wednesday in which two houseboats of the Badiyari family, New Zealand and Apollo XI, were damaged. Amir Ali, head of the Disaster Management Agency, said that a houseboat caught fire in front of Ghat No. 9 in Dal Lake during the night. Fire and emergency services personnel and machinery, along with boats of CRPF and SDRF, doused the fire and stopped the fire from spreading to the adjoining houseboats.
About Rs 4 crore will be spent in repair
At least two deluxe house boats (4-star) were burnt to ashes in this fire, due to which the loss is expected to be around Rs 8-10 crore. Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association spokesman Yakub Dunno said the damage is around Rs 2.5 crore per houseboat and repairs will now cost a maximum of Rs 4 crore per boat. He has appealed to the government to give compensation to the affected families so that they can rebuild their houseboats.
Meteorological Department has warned of heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh
Significantly, two days ago, the Meteorological Department had issued a warning of moderate to heavy snowfall for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. As a result of which the road and air connectivity in the area was expected to come to a complete halt. The Meteorological Department office in Srinagar said the minimum temperature in Jammu and Kashmir was recorded above freezing point on Monday, except in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, amid the possibility of snowfall.
Kashmir and Ladakh are currently in the grip of the harshest winter of 40 days. Which is locally known as ‘Chillai Kalan’. This harsh period that started on December 21 will end on January 31. This is followed by 20 days long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and 10 days long ‘Chillai Bachha’. The world famous resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, while Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.0 degrees Celsius, which was 4 degrees Celsius above normal during the season.