Srinagar: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir are putting all efforts to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
Stern measures have been put in place to screen the people who are arriving in the summer capital from different places. The Srinagar administration has acquired three star hotels and the government accommodations where the people arriving in Srinagar are being taken for 14-day quarantine. “More than anything else the administration in Kashmir is trying to take maximum precautions to stop the Coronavirus from spreading into the community,” said an observer.
He said, “All of us are aware of the fact that if COVID-19 spreads in Kashmir it will be very difficult to contain it as the health infrastructure in the Valley is not that strong. Countries like China and Italy that have got world’s best healthcare system in place couldn’t do much to prevent this infection from spreading. The only way to tackle this deadly virus is to prevent it from spreading into the community.”
The observer said, “It’s unfortunate that people arriving in Srinagar are hiding their travel histories and are running away from the hospitals. They should realize that their irresponsible behavior can put the lives of their own people at stake.”
An analyst said that the people who arrived in Srinagar from other countries initially complained about lack of facilities in the places they were kept but the administration swung into action and acquired 3-star hotels and government accommodations to make them comfortable. “People should stop complaining and cooperate with the government at this point of time so that situation doesn’t take an ugly turn. Educational institutions stand closed, public transport is suspended and restrictions have been imposed to keep people confined within their homes. Authorities are not leaving anything to chance. People need to realize that they have to act like responsible citizens rather than just cribbing about the lack of facilities,” he added.
Another analyst said, “At this point of time it won’t be possible for the administration to upgrade the health infrastructure. So only way out is to prevent people from falling sick and getting infected. Prices of hand sanitizers and masks skyrocketing have added to the woes of people. In fact both these items have disappeared from the markets.”
He said, “One can understand that making ventilators and oxygen cylinders available is a difficult task but people asking for hand sanitizers and masks is not a big deal. Administration should act against the manufacturers and suppliers of these items and ensure that these are easily available in the market.”
