Srinagar
National Conference on Tuesday expressed concern over the shortage of essential items in Kashmir, urging the government to adopt measures to protect poorest and most vulnerable and sustain the supply chain.
The party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar while expressing concern over the shortage of basic commodities in the markets said, “One cannot have a knee-jerk reaction to such situation without evaluating and anticipating the scale of problems arising as a consequence of it. The inevitable lockdown has put lives of poor at risk. It is a stark reality that a sizeable chunk of our society lives by hand to mouth and it is this section of society that has been hit due to the loss of livelihood, lack of food, shelter, health and other basic needs,” Imran said.
He said the lockdown was inevitable in the wake of the spread of a global pandemic. “The challenges that the outbreak has thrown at us needs ramped-up efforts that should include financial support to the daily wagers, hawkers, laborers and other economically challenged sections of the society,” the party spokesperson said.
Imran said the government should take urgent steps to come to the rescue of those at need. “Setting up community kitchens, releasing pending wages, and stepping up procurement to protect agriculture sector will make a difference. It is for the government to ensure that everyone has access to food, medical care and that the poor and marginalized sections of the society are not left unattended,” he said.
He said the lockdown has created a shortage of necessary food items in Kashmir and that people were finding it difficult to run their kitchens. He urged the government to ensure that the normal life of the people was not hit due to the lockdown. “Many countries have been able to stave off the shortage of necessary essentials during the lockdown. But in this part of the world, we are yet to tide over the situation. The government must ensure the supply chain is not broken across Kashmir,” Imran said.
