SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah expressed anguish on Sunday, a day after an earthquake that hit the valley caused damage to the spire of the shrine of the patron saint of Kashmir Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Noorani.
Abdullah said Kashmir is bestowed with spiritual wealth in the form of numerous shrines and places and the shrine of Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Noorani enjoys reverence and allegiance of people professing different faiths from across the region.
"Nothing could better exemplify the composite culture of Kashmir than the life of Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Noorani himself. The fact is reinstated by the reverence with which he is held by people cutting across all sections of society," he said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar asked the divisional administration to take notice of the damage and ensure that the restoration work is started forthwith.
"I was also given to know that the Khanqah near the shrine had developed cracks. Several teams had visited the edifice previously as well to ascertain the causes behind the cracks which had developed last year in the edifice as well. So far nothing substantial has been done to repair the cracks. I expect that the divisional administration will follow up the matter to ensure corrective and remedial solutions," he said.
"The Khanqah is in an appalling condition due to official apathy. The pathetic state of this edifice, lack of basic amenities in the compound surrounding the Astaan e Alia and the surrounding market also needs to be taken seriously," he added.
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, causing damage to the spire of the famous Sufi shrine in Chrar-e-Sharief.
According to officials, repair work on the minaret was started in afternoon.