Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Oct 25: More than one dozen nomadic and shepherd families along with livestock are still trapped in snow bound areas of Bani tehsil of Kathua district.
As per latest reports five Deras of shepherds along with their sheep and goats stranded at Pialie near Nuknali Mata due to heavy snow fall. They were on move to down hills but due to heavy snowfall, they were trapped in snow bound areas.
The Bani administration team which has moved to snowbound areas is trying to make contact with shepherds. The local people said that they are trapped in snowbound areas since last three days. The locals identified the stranded shepherd as Hazru son of Balia, Bishamber Dass, son of Rasilu, Chhaju Ram son of Thimbu, Rakesh Kumar son of Bishan , Onkar Singh son of Bishan all residents of village Bhakoga tehsil Bani and Omparkash son of Thimber of Dheota tehsil, Billawer. The Chairman Block Development Council (BDC) Duggan, Neelam Devi also asked the Bani administration to send a team to snowbound areas and ensure safety of shepherds and availability of food and shelter to them.
Nearly half dozen of nomadic families area trapped in high reaches Sarthal and Chattergala Valley in Dhokes with livestock. The Bani administration is also making contact with them and asked them to migrate to safer places keeping in view the weather condition. The SDM Bani, Joginder Singh deputed a team of tehsildar Bani, Shiv Kumar and police to snowbound areas to take stock of the situation.
Follow our WhatsApp channel