The confusing decisions of the Jammu & Kashmir Government over relaxations on COVID-19 lockdown themselves show that the decision making authorities are themselves confused over the increasing spread of COVID-19 in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. Even the order issued for asking the government employees to resume their duties has not only attracted criticism and condemnation from all public quarters but the people of all shades particularly political leaders and civil society groups are questioning the administrative wisdom of the top helmsmen including the Lt Governor and the Chief Secretary on this count. Even naïves did not expect the government to issue an order for resumption of duties by the employees amid unprecedented rise in both the no of corona virus positive cases and as well as COVID-19 deaths reported day in and day out in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. While the unprecedented rise in the no of corona virus positive cases and the COVID-19 deaths does not die down, the government has choosen to open three front openings for huge crowds at the government offices by simultaneously issuing too many orders with one asking employees to resume their duties, the other attracting the attention of people towards a controversial job notification for class IV posts and the other attracting the attention of Jammu & Kashmir migrants towards the process for issuing domicile certificates under the new domicile law. Increasing restlessness among the people of different regions over the class IV jobs, enforcement of domicile law and major push for delimitation initiative is a callous approach as it goes against the spirit of public welfare and public survival amid unprecedented rise in the COVID-19 pandemic spread in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. Otherwise both administrative and as well as human wisdom demands that government puts on hold the key issues concerning jobs, residential rights and delimitation of the assembly and Lok Sabh constituencie at least till the time COVID-19 spread stops and instead focuses it’s whole attention on the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures.
Situation demands that government takes calculated decisions on COVID-19 lockdown relaxations with proper application of mind to ensure that decisions once implemented on ground break the COVID-19 community chain increasing with every passing day in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. Taking key decisions for political attractions amid COVID-19 pandemic spread is tantamount to lowering the guard against COVID-19 pandemic spread.
The government’s key decisions themselves drop an indication that top helmsmen taking the key policy decisions are less concerned about the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures than general masses and as such they cease the right to deliver sermons on public responses to COVID-19 preventive measures. Situation demands that government takes calculated decisions on COVID-19 lockdown relaxations with proper application of mind to ensure that decisions once implemented on ground break the COVID-19 community chain increasing with every passing day in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. Taking key decisions for political attractions amid COVID-19 pandemic spread is tantamount to lowering the guard against COVID-19 pandemic spread.
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