Amid heavy snowfall, pregnant lady evacuated to hospital in JCB

Srinagar, Jan 6: Amid massive snowfall and snow accumulation, a woman writhing with labour pain was shifted to hospital in a JCB in Kapran area of Verinag in Anantnag district.
A woman from Trajan village in Verinag hamlet developed labour pain in the dead of night and her family members were finding it very difficult to take her to nearby hospital due to accumulation of snow and continuous snowfall in the area.
Officials said that the distressed family contacted PMGSY officials and contractor of the road leading to the area namely Javaid Ahmad.
They said that first they offered them the light motor vehicles on phone, however, the family was reluctant as they were aware that light motor vehicles won’t reach due to heavy accumulation of snow on the road.
“Whenever we found that no other option would work, contractor Javaid Ahmad contacted JCB driver Aarif Ahmad Sheikh of Gorinad Verinag at around 4 am,” they said.
Officials said without wasting any time, Aarif along with JCB reached Trajan and took the pregnant lady to nearby hospital in Qamar area of Verinag from where she was shifted to MCH Anantnag.
Aarif said that there was heavy snow on the road and without a JCB, no other option would have worked in such a situation.
“We covered around 15 kilometers while a pregnant lady and a few people sat near the driver’s seat and his relative in a bucket of the JCB to reach the hospital,” he said.
Aarif said that whenever such conditions arise, he is ready to take risks and evacuate patients of his area to hospital.
Peer Mohammad Sultan, assistant executive engineer PMGSY Anantnag said that snow clearance always remains a challenging task and they always try to clear the road as soon as possible.
He said that on the intervening night of 5-6 January, the department received a call from Trajan and accordingly arrangements with the help of contractor Javaid Ahmad were made and the lady was safely evacuated to hospital.
Officials said that lady is fine and has given birth to a healthy baby.