True it is that lockdown had to be enforced for the health safety of the people in Jammu & Kashmir like other parts of the country but equally important is the availability of essentials in any part of the country and more so in Kashmir keeping in view its topographical position and vulnerability to frequent traffic disruptions and routine one day restriction on traffic movement on Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir with Jammu and other parts of the country. Keeping in view the intensifying fear gripping hapless populations due to unprecedented spike in the spread of the ongoing spread of covid-19 pandemic, the government has to maintain regular supply chain of essential commodities and medicines. Forget about social distancing and wearing masks and other protective gears, the people in both Jammu & Kashmir regions don’t think about venturing out till the decline in the number of positive cases and as such people want the government and the volunteers to drop essential commodities at their door steps. While it is believed that the present stocks are not sufficient enough to cater to the needs of the hapless populations for a longer time, the supply position in Jammu too is not sufficient enough to cater to the needs of the people there also in the prevailing deepening health crisis . Care needs to be taken that any casual approach on the hassle free availability of essential commodities and medicines in the wake of extension in the lockdown period could trigger major crisis in Kashmir valley. The reports about the shortage of medicines are highly disturbing and government has to ensure that disruption in the chain supply of both the medicines and as well as essential commodities is resolved before it triggers a major crisis in both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. Last year cargo planes were used for uninterrupted supply of both the medicines and as well as essential commodities to Kashmir and Ladhak but government is yet to take such an unavoidable measure this despite knowing it very well that this is not the lockdown which government was enforces to reduce the intensity of street protests in Kashmir valley this a lock down enforced by the government for preventing deaths and spread of a killer virus in Kashmir valley and other parts of the country.
While the police is arresting people and penalising them for violating lockdown guidelines, the home delivery of the essential commodities and medicines has become unavoidable in the prevailing circumstances. So the government has to take steps for delivery of both medicines and as well as goods of normal human consumption at the doors steps of the hapless and helpless populations in Kashmir valley.
The lockdown violations would by all probabilities intensify after every passing day if government fails to put in place home delivery facilities for both the medicines and as well as essential commodities. Like the previous year this year government has not granted permissions to private grocery centres in Srinagar and major town of Kashmir valley for taking orders of essential commodities from consumers for home delivery services. While the police is arresting people and penalising them for violating lockdown guidelines, the home delivery of the essential commodities and medicines has become unavoidable in the prevailing circumstances. So the government has to take steps for delivery of both medicines and as well as goods of normal human consumption at the doors steps of the hapless and helpless populations in Kashmir valley.
