SRINAGAR, Sept 22:
For the Gadda family living in an interior area of the city, the floods that wreaked havoc were a grim reminder of the tragedy that had befallen them earlier this year when the Valley witnessed heavy snowfall.
The family deals in carpets and other furnishing items at its showroom and warehouse in Batamaloo area of the summer capital Srinagar.
When Kashmir valley received heavy snowfall in the winters, the warehouse crumbled under the pressure of the accumulated snow causing severe damage not only to the building but to the goods stored there as well.
“The snow destroyed the warehouse and damaged furnishing items, including carpets and rugs,” Mudasir Ahmad Gadda told.
Mudasir assists his father Zahoor Ahmad Gadda in running the business.
The family then started afresh and slowly recovered from the loss they had suffered and were trying to forget the tragedy.
However, fate had something else in store for them.
When the flood waters entered into Srinagar on September 5, the warehouse was submerged and goods destroyed , dealing a severe blow to the business.
“The warehouse is a one-storey building and it was completely under water. Everything in it was damaged,” Mudasir, a resident of Lal Bazaar area of the city, said.
He said no one had expected the waters to rise that much and reach the area and so no one was ready to face the situation.
“We had not expected the water to reach our warehouse. It was unprecedented and waters rose in no time,” he said.
Once the waters receded in Batamaloo, the family visited the area to check the store and found everything covered in mud.
“There was around a feet of mud in the warehouse and it had engulfed everything,” Mudasir said.
The damage to the goods in the warehouse is huge and most of the items have been completely destroyed.
“The non-woven items have been completely destroyed. Carpets and rugs have suffered damages,” he said.
Mudasir said though the carpets can be washed, they would not have the charm of the new ones and have to be sold at a much discounted price.
“The carpets have suffered discolouration and even if they are washed, they will lose the charm.They will have to be sold at 60 to 70 per cent discount,” he said.
The family had not taken any relief from the Government when the snow tragedy struck them and now have no insurance cover for the goods as well.
“We had not applied for any relief from the Government when the warehouse was damaged by the snow. And now we have no insurance cover,” Mudasir said.
The Gadda’s might have suffered a huge loss, but they are undeterred by the tragedy and hopeful of prospering once again.
“We are thankful to God that there was no loss of life. I am hopeful that we would start a fresh and once again stand on our feet,” he said optimistically. (PTI)
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