SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday asked the J&K administration to ensure the availability of essentials to people during the ongoing month of Ramzan.
Impressing upon administration of their obligation to ensure price stability and availability of essentials to households during the auspicious month of Ramadan Party’s Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said, “Come Ramadan and the requirement of all edibles increase exponentially. The non-availability of various kitchen condiments, edibles, and household commodities including Ramadan specific merchandise particularly Sugar and rice has aggravated the problems of people. People are purchasing essentials at exorbitant prices due to the inconsiderate approach of the government towards rampant hoarding, and panic buying. It looks like the government is sleeping at the wheel, at a time when it should have taken preemptive measures to ensure hassle-free Ramzan to people,” he said.
“The rice which is being distributed, I am told is very old and charred and unfit for public consumption. Half of the quantity of grains, I have been told, is filled with clay, stones, and husk. I fail to understand how the government expects people to consume such low-quality grains. The BPL, AY TPDS families are particularly at the receiving end due to the lacklustre approach of administration,” he said adding that Sugar scarcity has particularly hit the entire Jammu and Kashmir.
Asking the government to rise up to the exigencies during the ensuing month of Ramzan Imran said, “in view of the challenges, the present situation has thrown at us, the government should come to the rescue of people and provide additional ration to people at subsidized rates. The underprivileged falling in BPL, AAY category should be given free ration for the entire month. The ration stores across the length and breadth of J&K should be kept open catering to the needs of people throughout the month. Government should also increase the quota of sugar to consumers during the ensuing month. Besides, that administration should also mull to come up with e-bazaars, special rapid action teams for home delivery to ensure that people are delivered necessary items at their doorsteps.”
Imran also sought uninterrupted power and water supply to consumers during the Iftaari, and Sehari time. He impressed upon the administration the need of reining in the malefactors as indulge in black-marketing and hoarding. He asked the government to consider having special Ramzan markets in every locality, where essentials including fruits should be made available to people at specific timings following the COVID-19 protocol.
He asked the people to abide by the COVID-19 protocol and concerning government advisories in the ensuing month saying the challenges can be surmounted if people take precautionary measures as advised by the concerned agencies.
