2 houseboats gutted
November 2010
News
www.greaterkashmir.com
Srinagar, Oct 31: With the government failing to provide requisite firefighting services for houseboats in the City waterbodies, two of the boats floating in Jhelum were gutted last night.
Loyality and Hindustan houseboats catering to the tourists were reduced to cinder on the Bund banks in the rare of plush Residency Road.
The houseboat owners said property worth lakhs of rupees was gutted in the incident which claimed their livelihood.
The Maharashtrian tourists putting up in the boats were rescued by the timely intervention of the locals.
"The houseboat owners and other locals gave preference to save the life of tourists than the boats," said former President Houseboat Owners Association, Muhammad Azim Tuman, while consoling the affected families.
Dilip Bhai, a tourist from Pune said the locals pooled money and clothing for his return to home.
"I am really thankful of Kashmiri people who helped me even during these testing times," he said.
The river dwellers said by the time the firefighters arrived it was too late to save the houseboats.
This is the second fire at houseboats in the past around a month.
Ghulam Nabi Gagroo of Dal lake was the previous fire victim whose -houseboat White Horse -was gutted.
Read more at http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/Nov/1/2-houseboats-gutted-20.asp
