Though shutdown is by no means a new experience for the people in Kashmir but the battle for life triggered by the unprecedented spreading trends of COVID-19 pandemic has brought the government and the people on the same page. While people are cooperating with the government in the implementation of advisories and the guidelines of the health specialists to break the increasing communication chain of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperation of the civil administration with the doctors and paramedicos’ has come under sharp criticism from people of all shades after reports about the alleged misbehaviour of deputy commissioner Bandipora with the doctors in the Sumbal area went viral on social media. The reports about the doctors proceeding on strike against the misbehavior of the deputy commissioern and then agreeing to resume their duties after reconciliatory initiatives by the senior officers of district administration are sufficient enough to indicate that the conduct of the civil administration in the operation of health facilities at health centers needs a close supervision . The incident should have been noticed seriously by the top helmsmen particularly Chief Secretary, Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, but unfortunately the issued has been sorted out locally and the government has not bothered even to seek an explanation from the deputy commissioner over the reports of his misbehavior with the doctors. People occupying higher positions in civil and police administration can’t dispute the fact that shutdowns in the past would often prompt people to step out in morning and evening hours, fetch daily essentials and interact with each other in total violation of restrictions but this time doctors are playing a key role in the implementation of total lockdown for their own lives. Instead of praising doctors for developing a social-bonding with the general masses in the days of severe health crisis, the deputy commissioner obliged to show a fatherly treatment to doctors and frontline health workers in the current crisis has allegedly come to abuses. Deputy Commissioner as head of the district administration has to imbibe sense of security among the doctors and frontline health workers presently combating COVID-19 pandemic spread, but Deputy Commissioner Bandipora has put to greatest risk the health facilities at a health centre where doctors and frontline health workers have played a commendable role in combating the coronovious spread.
Instead of praising doctors for developing a social-bonding with the general masses in the days of severe health crisis, the deputy commissioner obliged to show a fatherly treatment to doctors and frontline health workers in the current crisis has allegedly come to abuses.
Since The COVID-19 positive cases are soaring in the Valley with 23 more diagnosed positive on Friday, taking the number to 209 — 39 cases in Jammu and 168 in the Valley. Four people have died due to the deadly infection in the Valley. Unless and until the officers of civil and police administration don’t behave properly with the doctors and frontline health workers the campaign to break the increasing chain of COVID-19 pandemic won’t show encouraging results in Kashmir. After all the doctors and the frontline health workers are the warriors of the ongoing battle against COVID-19 pandemic.