Ravaged by landslide eight years ago, Udhampur's Saddal-Panjar village awaits rebuilding

Arjun Sharma

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Udhampur, June 19

Ravaged eight years ago by a massive landslide, Saddal-Panjar village in Panchari of Udhampur district still awaits government’s attention. Many houses still do not have electricity and water supply. On September 6, 2014, huge boulders and muck came crashing down on houses in the village, killing 40 residents and destroying 65 houses along with a school building in the hilly region. The school has not been rebuilt and children are studying in a makeshift structure. Rescue teams reached the village with great difficulty and took months to find the bodies buried under the rubble.

Lost six of family

I and my son were not at home when the tragedy struck after heavy rain on September 6, 2014. I lost six of my family, including my wife. — Kapoor Singh, Villager

September 2014 horror had left 40 dead

• As many as 40 residents died and 65 houses were damaged in the landslide that hit Saddal-Panjar village in Udhampur district on September 6, 2014.
• The village has been still awaiting electricity and water supply. Residents accuse the government of hardly doing anything for those affected by the natural disaster.

Several people lost their entire families and were left alone without any land and home. Recalling the horror, Kapoor Singh says it happened at around 12 noon after heavy rains. “I lost six of my family, including my wife. Only I and my son survived as we were not at home at that time,” he says.

He said Union Minister Jitendra Singh, MP from the Udhampur constituency, came to the village and assured of help. “But we are still waiting for the village to be rebuilt and our lives come on track,” says Kapoor Singh, who runs a small shop around 14 km from the village.

Though electricity poles, nowadays, can be seen being carried to the hilltop for installation, villagers allege that the government had forgotten their plight after the incident. Electricity and water supply haven’t been restored till date. Most of the villagers use solar-powered batteries to charge their phones and for lighting.

Another villager, Sansar Singh, whose house was close to the impact area, says he has not seen electricity in the area for the past eight years. “My grandchildren study only in daylight and we have no option during evening hours. Now, electricity poles have reached the village and I hope that we will have power supply soon,” he adds.

Many displaced families were provided land by the government.

Jasvir Singh, DDC councillor, Panchari-Moungri, says the electricity and the water supply haven’t been restored so far. “We had asked the government that the affected families should be provided help and those who lost their houses and land should be resettled so that they can earn their living,” he adds

The road to the village was constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.