* Pleads for CBDM to control COVID-19
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 23: Expressing serious concern over the widening social and economic divisions that makes infectious diseases more deadlier across the world, Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president, Altaf Bukhari today emphasized the need for a Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) to stem spread of Coronavirus disease in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement issued here, Bukhari appealed his party colleagues and cadres to work together to assess vulnerability of people in their respective areas and respond accordingly to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 in their immediate neighbourhoods.
“In societies where the virus hits, it is deepening the consequences of inequality, pushing many of the burdens onto the underprivileged and marginalized sections of the society and lower economic strata. We should not expect everything from the Government and should instead adopt a community based approach to tackle this pandemic,” Bukhari observed.
He said the community based disaster management warrants the affluent classes of Jammu and Kashmir to come forward and mitigate the impact of identified hazards of this deadly disease and respond and rehabilitate their neighbours who are in dire need of their help. “Social distancing does not mean that we will take care of our families alone while sitting indoors. In these hard times, we should not forget our social and moral responsibility to look after our poor neighbours whose livelihood has got worst hit by the mandatory restrictions imposed by the Government,” the JKAP president remarked.
Bukhari said that there is a dire need to reach out to the daily rated workers, daily wagers, ITI skilled labourers, casual labourers, construction workers, vendors, and other sections of the society whose livelihood has been badly affected by the lockdown. “While these sections of the society will remain healthy by the home confinement but they are suffering loss of income or health care as a result of quarantines and other measures, potentially on a sweeping scale. To begin with, I appeal my party colleagues and cadres to come forward to help such affected families irrespective of their faith and beliefs,” he observed.
JKAP leader demanded that all BPL beneficiaries be given free ration by the Government trough the Public Distribution System and the Government must ensure that this ration is home delivered to these families in order to prevent crowd ration depots and fair price shops. He also demanded restoration of 4G internet service in J&K.
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