Winter perils

Freezing winters and need for warmth is not a problem exclusive to Pakistan or one that has emerged in recent years

Winters have well and truly gripped the country. The northern areas are adorning blankets of snow and temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark. As a result, it has become impossible for people to spend the night without any sort of heating. But the very crutch of existence in the extreme cold is also proving to be the cause of their demise. Several incidents of people dying from gas asphyxiation or fires have been reported ever since the temperatures started plummeting. People either burn firewood to create heat or use heating appliances — whether gas-powered or electric-powered. In areas where there are sub-zero temperatures, often a single heating appliance proves insufficient. Where appliances are used, the cost of running them on electricity can prove to be prohibitive. The only alternative is to run them on natural gas.

Owing to the cold, the gas pressure often falls to the point that these heaters stop working and people are unaware of when the gas supply resumes. As a result, gas floods the room, suffocating its occupants if there is insufficient ventilation. Or, if unnoticed and the heaters are ignited the next morning, it can cause an explosion. The use of firewood or coal is also fraught with peril. Apart from being quite expensive and with the additional burden of affecting the ecology, burning wood in a domestic environment comes with a massive risk of fires spreading. Even burning embers of firewood, if carelessly handled, can start a fire.

Freezing winters and the need for warmth is not a problem exclusive to Pakistan or one that has emerged in recent years. Other countries have found solutions to this issue by creating homes which are better insulated, have efficient and safe heating solutions. Perhaps the government should urge homeowners and builders to focus on these areas when building houses in areas which experience extreme winters. It should also create greater awareness about safety measures and measures that warn of gas build-up.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2019.

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