Rescue volunteers for accident victims on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway lack govt support, equipment

Banihal, March 14: Over the past two decades, more than a hundred volunteers associated with various organisations in the Ramban district have carried out hundreds of life-saving rescue operations along the treacherous and accident-prone Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in the Banihal-Ramban sector.

These selfless individuals, who remain unsung heroes, are at the forefront of relief efforts during road accidents and natural disasters. They work without looking for any recognition or reward.

Organisations like NGO Banihal Volunteers , Civil QRT Ramban, Himalayan QRT Ramsoo , QRT Khari, Nowgam and Tethar volunteers are some of the few who have taken part in rescue and relief operations while also engaging in welfare activities for the poor and underprivileged families of sub division Banihal.

Despite assisting authorities, including the police, SDRF , Fire and Emergency teams during rescue operations, these volunteers have not received any formal government support , financial aid or equipment.

In the absence of any government backing, the volunteers rely solely on public donations for welfare activities which include organizing marriage for poor girls.

Mohammad Idrees Wani, founder and President of Banihal Volunteers, said that their welfare initiative began in 2012 after his younger brother lost his life when shooting stones hit him at Khooni Nallah on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in 2012.

"After my brother's death, I along with a few young men began saving lives by assisting victims of traffic accidents and landslides on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. After sometime many dedicated young volunteers joined our mission, working selflessly for the sake of humanity," said Idress.

He added that their team in collaboration with the police, SDRF, Fire Services department and civil administration has participated in hundreds of rescue operations during road accidents or other disasters like floods, landslides and fires.

“We always provide immediate medical assistance to the injured on the spot and transport them to hospitals on priority and without any delay,” Idress said, emphasising that their timely intervention has saved countless lives by ensuring quick response to the injured on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

He added that some 20 to 25 volunteers from Banihal Volunteers work around the clock from Banihal to Sher Bibi to help save the lives of accident victims.

Syed Mudasir Ahmed, General Secretary of Banihal Volunteers, said that in the past two decades, volunteers from Ramban, Ramsoo, Magarkoot, and Banihal areas have taken part in countless rescue operations on the highway and in river Chenab and Bishlari nallah. He said with time these groups have become more organised and efficient in their work.

Mudasir added that Banihal Volunteers has been consistently working in rescue and welfare services for the past thirteen years. “Our sole purpose is to serve humanity,” he said. “We use our vehicles and an ambulance purchased with public contributions and reach out to the accident sites and carry out the rescue operations,” he said.

“We rescued Amarnath Yatra bus accident victims in 2017 and saved several lives,” said Mudasir, adding they have not received any government assistance. He said that it was only the social organisation from Srinagar "Athrout" which has helped them with rescue equipment and oxygen concentrators.