Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 31: Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today reiterated his demand of providing free ration, medicines and other essential commodities to the BPL families and other economically weaker working classes, especially living in border districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued here, Bukhari said that a vast majority of population living in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir comprises of below poverty line and marginalized sections and need special attention of the Government in the prevailing situation.
The JKAP president said that for residents of these borderlands most of whom work as porters with Indian army; the livelihood has been hit hard by the COVID pandemic. “The J&K Government must address woes of their families and reach out to them in this hour of crisis at least with free ration, medicines and other essential commodities to prevent them from this deadly disease in keeping with the social isolation norms into consideration,” Bukhari demanded.
Giving instances of few villages of border district Kupwara, Bukhari said that he has been receiving distress calls that families of porters and a vast section of BPL population is facing immense difficulties and are at the verge of facing starvation. “I have been informed by JKAP cadres that inhabitants of villages like Manzpathara, Manchatra, Khanbal, Budnambal and Zunreshi in district Kupwara are craving for basic necessities like ration and fuel. How can Government expect them to maintain social distancing when they have nothing to eat and keep themselves confined to their homes?” Bukhari asked.
The JKAP president urged the Lieutenant Governor G S Murmu to order all border district administration in J&K to reach out to such underprivileged sections and provide them free ration and other necessary items for their sustenance. He also appealed the workers of JKAP to offer their volunteer services and try to reach out to such families that are in need of their help in this crucial time. He asked the JKAP workers to reach out to such families whose livelihood has been badly affected by the lockdown.
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