SKARDU, Dec 13: After winter’s first snowfall, severity in the weather has intensified, and the entire region of Baltistan is gripped in cold weather.
The upper mountainous villages and towns like Sadpars, Gultary, Tandal, Chunda, Shila, Braldo, Basho, Saltoro and Kondos have received sufficient snow and the dwellers have been forced to remain at homes.
According to reports received from these areas, temperature has dropped to minus 18 degrees celsius.
Skardu had received more than seven inches of snow. According to the local met office, the temperature in Skardu city on Saturday was recorded at minus 12 degrees celsius.
The number of patients suffering from flu, cough and pneumonia is reported to have increased in the district headquarters hospital and other village dispensaries.
“Most of the patients are children and women,” hospital sources said.
The national carrier, PIA, could operate flights between Islamabad and Skardu on Friday after remaining suspended for several days due to inclement weather condition.
Winter-related problems are also on the rise in the two districts of Baltistan. The highups have started migrating to towns to avoid severe coldness while the poor have no choice but to face the severe cold, inflation, power crisis and other problems.
MEETING: The government is taking special steps to overcome power crisis in Baltistan division, and several mega projects are underway in this regard in Skardu district.
These views were expressed by PWD Baltistan region’s chief engineer Wazir Muzzafar Abbas while talking to a delegation of notables from Skardu city and public representatives here on Saturday.
He said if consumers in Skardu city cooperate with the electricity department they would not face loadshedding. He announced that there would be no loadshedding in the city for three days from Saturday on trial basis. If the residents cooperate with them the practice would continue, he added.
He said further said if the department could get funds from the higher authorities, they would also restart the two diesel generators.
Wazir Ghulam Mehdi, executive engineer power division, said the present electricity requirement of the city was 12 megawatts while the total generation of hydro electricity was six megawatts. Two megawatts was produced by PWD power division and four megawatts by Wapda. He said owing to lack of funds the diesel generators were not functioning, resulting in loadshedding in the city.