Srinagar: Life remained affected in the Kashmir valley, including summer capital of the state, Srinagar, where people are facing acute shortage of water because of frozen taps, cooking gas and slippery road conditions.
Life was thrown out of gear after first heavy 
snowfall on January 7 which snapped electricity for about a week after all transmission lines, importing power to Kashmir, were damaged at several places in Pirpanchal and Ramban areas.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was also blocked, resulting in shortage of essentials, particularly LPG gas cylinders.
However, the situation worsened during the past two days when the minimum dropped to lowest of the season minus 7.8 degree, freezing Dal Lake and other water bodies and water taps.
Despite using all methods, the water taps remained frozen, resulting in major water crisis.
The main pipes of Water Works were also frozen while the water-level in the Jehlum river and other main rivers and their tributaries has dropped considerably after snowfall.
Streets wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors because of snowfall and cold weather.
Less number of vehicles, including those carrying passengers, were seen on the roads. However, they were moving in very low speed because of slippery conditions.
More than 200 people were injured after they slipped on slippery roads as water and snow freezed.
People alleged shortage of cooking gas and kerosene oil in the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar city.
However, officials said presently 10,359 metric tonne of rice, 3,579 metric tonne of wheat and 1,975 metric tonne of sugar are available with Food Corporation of India, while 21,960 metric tonne of rice, 536 metric tonne of wheat, 1,019 metric tonne of sugar has been lifted by the CAPD from FCI godowns.
They said under APL and BPL and Adhoc allocation CAPD lifted 34,000 metric tonne of rice and 7,010 metric tonne of wheat. Besides, 139 LPG tankers are in transit from Jammu to Srinagar.
Three truckloads of LPG, 14 kerosene oil tankers, 29 truckloads of rice, one each diesel and petrol tankers, 19 trucks loads of wheat and two truckloads of sugar have already reached Srinagar. (KMW News)Â
