locals complain that the apathy of the authorities towards the Roeesh-Jakhyali gorge which had become sensitive following the June 2013 disaster was the major reason behind the disaster that wreaked havoc here late on Wednesday night. Had a security wall been erected on the side of the gorge, this mishap could have been avoided or mitigated. The spate in the Roeesh-Jakhyali gorge had caused landslide in the nearby area during last year's disaster but had not caused any loss of life as the waters had receded soon after. The villagers had then requested the administration to erect a safety wall on the side of the gorge in view of the risk of flooding following heavy rains. They had even sent several proposals to the Public Works Department but the administration did not pay heed and put the proposals on backburner.
The villagers today said that had the security wall been built, the damage that occurred on Wednesday could have been averted. last year, too, the raging water of the gorge had threatened the homes in this village, but the residents were left by the authorities to face the danger on their own, complained the villagers.