Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 12: As the authorities are not granting permissions for carrying out necessary repairs of the damaged houseboats in Kashmir, several such Houseboats on the Dal lake have started to sink.
3 more houseboats that were floating yesterday on the Dal have sunk, taking the number of Houseboats that have sunk so far in 2 months to 10.
Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association (KHBOA) said that during the fresh snowfall that was witnessed, 3 more Houseboats on the Dal sank and were rendered useless.
“The number of damaged Houseboats have reached 10 and we are apprehensive that the number might increase,” it said.
From 3000 working Houseboats, the number of Houseboats that are operational has come down to 910.
Those associated with the business said that they believe if there is heavy snowfall, more structures can sustain damage. They said that these structures require immediate and there is a need of repairing them without any further delay.
KHBOA also said that the Houseboat industry has suffered immense losses after Article 370 was abrogated followed by the pandemic.
The stakeholders have urged the government to take necessary measures in this regard, especially granting permission for carrying our repairs of the damaged Houseboats.
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