Srinagar, January 12: Apni Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir on Tuesday hailed the decision of the Lt. Governor led government of J&K thereby declaring the recent heavy snowfall as a State Specific Natural Calamity under the State Disaster Response Fund.
Talking to media on the sidelines of a function here at Party office in Lal Chowk, Mir, however, pointed out to various problems faced by the people on account of closure of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, curtailment in ration allocations to Kashmir valley, and government’s non responsiveness to the incidents of rising cardiac arrests, and bird flu scare.
“The Govt.’s decision on snowfall has come aptly at a time when everyone was anticipating it. We resolutely welcome the decision and hope that such a step will bring much needed relief to the people who have faced a considerable inconvenience during this snow disaster. The immediate availability of 4x4 rescue vehicles and ambulances at District levels will aid those stranded patients who have been yearning for medical attention.”
While speaking on a 5-day closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway he said, “The persistent closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has become a kind of taboo for us. The highway closure calls are ad nauseam that have jinxed our trade and economy. The essential supplies get frequently affected, fuel supplies are clogged, airfares get hiked immensely, and situational inflation plagues the markets in the valley,” Mir said.
He added: “All this gives rise to a dismal economic situation in the UT of J&K. The Government of India and the U.T administration of J&K should take this issue earnestly and scheme for a one-time solution to resolve this problem that has continued to exist from past seventy years.”
Apni Party general secretary observed his party will also like to bring in notice of the Lt. Governor of J&K that there has been a considerable curtailment in the ration supply to the Kashmir division. “As compared to October 2020 1,20000 quintals of rice and wheat have been curtailed in allocations to Kashmir valley, for the reasons best known to the administration. We implore the administration to shun such curtailments in future so that no scarcity of food grains is felt by the general masses,” he added.
Moreover, he reacted over the rising cases of bird flu in the country. He said “Media reports on rise in bird flu cases across the country are worrisome. J&K Govt. is yet to come up with an official advisory on this issue of public importance. The government should take notice of the situation and come up with the necessary advisory regarding the consumption of poultry and its byproducts. Also there is an instant need to redress the grievances of Non-Covid patients who are unable to avail medical facilities in main government hospitals in the valley that have been designated as COVID specific hospitals. The plight of such suffering patients should be redressed by crafting segregated sections for COVID patients in such hospitals.”
“In this winter we have also noticed a concerning anomaly in which many people have died due to sudden heart attacks. The government should constitute a team of medical experts who will study and unravel the mystery behind the rise in such cases of cardiac arrests in the valley,” he concluded (KNS).