SHANGLA: The roads in the districts were cleared after four-day consecutive snowfall and tourists thronged picnic spots.

The routes including Bisham-Swat, Alpur-Puran, Karora-Chakesar, Damorai-Ajmeer and Puran-Bunir roads were blocked after the areas received heavy snowfall but on Wednesday weather got cleared and authorities opened the roads to all sorts of traffic.

With the opening of roads, a large number of local tourists thronged the picnic spots to enjoy the weather. Tourists were suggested by the administration to take care while travelling in the snow-bound areas to avoid road accidents.

Meanwhile, the local people have complained about increase in the price of firewood in the district.

They said that the stall owners doubled the price of firewood that affected the poverty-stricken people. They said that firewood was used for cooking and other purposes in the area owing to absence of natural gas facility.

Hazrat Hussain, a local resident, said that he visited all the stalls in Bisham to buy firewood but the exorbitant rates perturbed him. He said that firewood seller kept to increase its weight.

Latifullah, another local, said that last winter the price of per maund firewood was Rs400. “Now the same quantity of firewood is being sold at Rs750,” he added.

He said that they had no other option but to buy firewood as the rate of liquefied petroleum gas was also increased by the government. “A 15-kg gas cylinder is being sold at Rs2,900 in Bisham,” he added.

Juma Khan, a firewood seller, told Dawn that he brought firewood from Kohistan at high rates and earned a little amount. “Prices of almost all commodities are going up. It has affected our business too,” he added.

The local people demanded of the district administration to take action against the firewood sellers and fix appropriate rates to facilitate poor. They also demanded of the government to reduce the price of liquefied petroleum and save the local people from financial crises.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2020