Homeless after devastating fire, 80 Warwan families brace for harsh winter

Warwan, Oct 18: As winter sets in, over 80 families in the remote Warwan Valley face the harsh season without shelter.

Nearly the entire village of Mulwarwan, comprising 100 houses, was reduced to ashes in a devastating fire on the afternoon of October 14.

While the government and various humanitarian organisations have rushed to provide much-needed relief, the challenge is to ensure shelter for these families until summer.

With snowfall around the corner, the only surface link, the 100-km Marwa-Warwan-Margan Top road connecting the Warwan Valley to Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, is expected to remain closed for around six months.

Currently, families have been temporarily relocated to a few rooms in the Panchayat Ghar, while some are living in basic tents.

Twenty families from the village, who managed to escape the fire, have generously offered space in their small homes, but these arrangements are far from sustainable.

The villagers themselves have limited means and space, and barely manage to meet their own needs.

“Whatever we had stocked up for winter was lost in the fire. We have nothing left now. Yes, relief is coming in, but without proper shelter, where will we go in this harsh winter?” said Muhammad Jamal Wani, 55, a fire victim and labourer.

Wani, who has five children and a wife to support, expressed his deep concern for the future of his family as they face the bitter cold months ahead without a home.

“As of now, I am living in my neighbour’s house, along with two other families. There are only six odd rooms, and they are a family of eight themselves. How long can they be able to give us shelter?” he said.

Mozam Guru, an aid activist with Child Nurture and Relief (CHINAR) International, Srinagar said, “The construction material – cement, bricks, and tin for the houses - must come from Anantnag. Sand, gravel and timber can be sourced locally, but the nearest brick kiln is in Achabal, 90 km away. It’s nearly impossible for the government or aid organisations to transport that much construction material over this difficult terrain and start building houses immediately.”

The organisation has been working in the area for a decade.

Guru emphasised that prefab structures or tin sheds are unlikely to withstand the region’s heavy snowfall.

“The government should accommodate the fire victims in schools until they can rebuild their homes. Humanitarian organisations and the government need to contribute more financial assistance so that reconstruction can take place in the summer,” he said.

Back in the village, people in the 21st century, who are living without power and phone connectivity, are facing the daunting challenge of surviving the winter.

“Life in this part of the world is already very difficult. Now, this tragedy has left us completely shattered. I wonder how we will survive the long and harsh winter ahead,” says a fire victim who, along with his family, has moved to his relatives’ house in Aafti village.