Kargil, the cursed land

Thousands of residents who fled their villages to escape Pakistani shelling during the war are returning to their homes amidst depleting food stocks.

The residents simply do not know how they will survive the harsh winter, when heavy snowfall at the Zojila Pass will isolate the region.

Demanding relief on a war footing for the border residents, Khan said without this, thounsads of people and even cattle will die of hunger. Ladakh has been cut off from the rest of the world except for an aerial link, for nearly seven months. As the main link to Ladakh 8212; the Srinagar-Leh Highway8211; is closed by October, Khan said the authorities needed to rush supplies this month itself.

Ladakh is likely to face an acute food shortage as farmers could not tend their crops because of war and the consequent displacement. Due to closure of the Srinagar-Leh highway, adequate stocks could not be rushed for winter.

Khan rebuked the government for claiming the winter supplies had been stocked during and after the Kargil war through the Manali-Leh route. 8220;This particular road has never remained open for more than three months and is suitable only for adventurers and military movement8221;, Khan told The Indian Express.

Khan said normalcy had returned to Kargil and people were returning to their homes even in the 30 frontline villages, which were the worst-affected in the war. 8220;They have no fodder and no foodgrains for the next six months8221;, he said.

Khan, a former police officer, who made it to the Lok Sabha for the first time, lamented how the people all over the country were ignoring theKargilis, who had played a very supportive role during the recent Indo-Pak conflict.