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Drass prepares to face a harsh winter

Mukhtar Ahmad in Drass

Both the army and the locals in Drass are fighting against time as they stock supplies to see them through the harsh winter.

Though the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway which connects both Kargil and Drass to the state capital is still open to traffic, it is a matter of time before heavy snowfall makes it unmotorable for the next nine months.

The pressure on the army is immense. Not only do they have to stock their stores in Kargil with food, medicines and other essentials, they have to ensure that their jawans, who will be manning Drass peaks, have enough ammunition to last them for nine months.

"We will have to ensure that supplies reach Drass well before October, 15,'' says an army officer. He, however, adds that the October 15 deadline seems unrealistic considering the requirements of jawans in Drass.

Posts have already been set up on the barren mountains in the area. Around 700 private and army trucks ferry supplies to Kargil every day, trying to make good the time lost due to hostilities in the region.

Though Drass town is humming with activity with the return of the locals from various migrant camps, one occasionally hears the boom of exploding shells near Kaksar. The army has busied itself in destroying un-exploded shells.

Abdul Ahmad, who has come from the adjoining village of Goshan to buy essentials, says: "We have borrowed money to purchase food grains. Though we used to work through the summer and save for the winter, the fighting forced us to flee our villagers.''

Though it is harvesting season, villagers point towards their barren barley fields. "This is the time when we should have been busy with harvesting. But see there is nothing left in these fields," says Abdul Shakoor wiping his tears.

In Pandrass all 450 members of 45 families returned to the village early this month. Village headman Ghulam Mohammad says: "I have full faith in Dr Abdullah. He will support us during this winter."

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