KINS/Bashir Ahmed
Srinagar, Apr 12: When Covid-19 pandemic is holding tight grip on Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the world, Principal Secretary and Government spokesman Rohit Kansal and Deputy commissioner Srinagar Shahid Chaudhary have proved to be the frontline COVID-19 warriors.
“Kansal tweets every day about the number of positive COVID-19 cases in J&K. His twitter handle has crossed the one’s expected number of followers. He is the only person whose tweets are considered as right from the horse’s mouth,” said an official.
“Apart from his role of putting the exact and correct information into the public domain, he does some good work silently,” the official maintained.
Sources told KINS that a positive COVID-19 patient admitted here in one of the hospitals called him on Saturday evening expressing concern over the lack of arrangements and within barely an hour, Kansal redressed the issue by asking the concerned to take up steps and put things right.
With all eyes on Kansal these days, he is of a jolly nature too as his twitter account suggests that he even responded to a song shared by one of the twitter user on restoration of 4G services. Kansal is acting like a true solider in the fight against pandemic.
Another COVID-19 warrior Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has been on toes since the epidemic broke out in Srinagar. Lockdown and social distancing initiated by administration has prevented the disease from spreading within the community.
Netizens have hailed Dr Shahid’s commitment to keep people informed.
The renowned national journalist Barkha Dutt tweeted: “Meet the Kashmir Officer who had the toughest year of anyone @listenshahid- first the lockdown after 370-abrogation, now the lockdown after Corona. Fine, empathic young man who works 24 hours, seven days.”
“If only we listen to @listenshahid, we will be safe in Srinagar. Man on ground, man in action and man of commitment. Thank you Sir”, tweeted SSP Imtiyaz Hussain.
Dr Shahid has been praised by none other than Minister of State in the Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s office, Dr Jitender Singh, who responded to one of his tweets by writing: “keep it up.”
“This epidemic is deadly and people must realize it. COVID-19 epidemic has no cure and it has vandalized world’s biggest and best healthcare system of Italy. Authorities have prominently taken steps to contain this virus,” Professor Nasir Mirza department of Urdu Kashmir University told Precious Kashmir.
Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, Finance Secretary Dr Arun Mehta, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education Atal Dulloo, Director Information Dr Syed Sherish Asgar are also trying their best to ensure that J&K becomes COVID-19 free zone.
