Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Monday expressed concern over the acute shortage of essentials in the areas declared as red zones by the authorities across the valley urging the JK administration to ensure availability of essential commodities, medicines in the red and buffer zones.
While expressing concern over the dearth of essential commodities in the areas across valley designated as red zones Party’s Provincial Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said, “The areas designated as red zone are facing acute shortage of essentials including milk, kitchen condiments and other medicines. The strict containment measures and curbs in such designated red zones have triggered severe shortage of basic essentials as the locals living in these red zone areas cannot step outside to purchase what is needed.”
Imran further said that people are not able to get grips with the troubles they face in wake of the lockdown and red-zoning of their respective areas. “Trapped in a geographic quarantine, people also find it difficult to take patients to hospitals. There should be a proper plan in place to deal with such issues. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure availability of essentials and medicines in the red and buffer zones. We see how various local bodies across the country have come up with e-passes for people in need in these areas; such measures should be implemented in Kashmir too,” he said.
He said the cluster containment strategy of the government should also encompass plans to make essentials available for the people living in the red and buffer zones. “Government should without any further delay direct concerned agencies to converge their efforts to reach out to the needy in the red zoned areas. A special ambulance service should be put in place in such areas,” he added.