Braving the lurking threat of avalanches and attacks by wild animals, women in some villages of this mountainous district of Jammu and Kashmir tread several-kilometre snowy track deep inside the forest to fetch drinking water from a natural source for daily use.
Nearly 100 families living on the slopes of three hamlets -- Ganori, Kuthal and Naik Mohalla of Kahara tehsil -- are considering boycott of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to lodge their protest against the "failure" of the administration to provide drinking water facility to them over the past seven decades.
"We have no other option but to put our lives at risk to fetch water from the natural fountain under the foothills of snow-peaked mountains deep inside the forest," middle-aged Kulsuma Begum of village Ganori told PTI.
Begum, along with three other villagers, had a narrow escape six years ago when she came under an avalanche while collecting water from the fountain.
"I have nightmares and shiver with fear whenever I think of that frightful incident. So many years have passed, but still I have to visit the spot everyday to collect the water for our survival," she said.
Recalling the incident, Begum said she and others were collecting water when suddenly an avalanche struck from the mountain burying them.
"Luckily we got timely help and were rescued from the snow after four hours and airlifted to Jammu for specialised treatment."
Raveesa Bano, 18, a student, said, "We live here dangerously by defying possible death every day, especially during the winter when there is heavy snowfall and the wild animals remain on prowl."
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