SRINAGAR: The Coronavirus pandemic and the fight to contain the spread of the virus has brought into focus the efforts of many Corona Warriors who did commendable work at local level. Here is the admirable tale of Mohammad Ahsan Zargar – a Corona Warrior whose sole aim of life is to serve humanity, especially at this crucial juncture.
Ahsan was awarded with certificate of appreciation by the Lieutenant Governor on 12th August 2020 in recognition of his commendable services. He has also received certificates/felicitations for his unblemished and relentless humanitarian service from District Administration Kishtwar, Panchayat Raj Institutions and various NGO during his posting as Naib Tehsildar, Lass Head Quarter Drabshalla.
Ahsan was deployed as Duty Magistrate COVID-19 to oversee the implementation SOPs at Model Check Point Drabshalla Near Thatri Bridge after the outbreak of pandemic last year.
While sharing his experience he said,”It was never easy to persuade the people coming from outside to take test, shift them to quarantine centres and conduct their counselling”. It was a bad phase ‘yet we did our best to ensure that nobody feels alienated. “My main motive was to save the district Kishtwar from the tentacles of dreaded Coronavirus.”
He has no qualms in claiming that much credit for maintaining District Kishtwar in green zone category goes to the team manning the critical Check Point at Thathri.
“I feel proud in saying that our team left no stone unturned in safeguarding the district from advent of Corona during that time” Thathri Check point is the only entry to enter inside Kishtwar from Jammu. We did regressive sampling of commuters and only after full satisfaction allowed them to enter into the district” he said with great confidence.
“During the second wave of Coronavirus, the challenge has been bigger, but our strategy remained same with added efficiency,” he added.
Apart from this, he has been monitoring the covid situation in the Drabshalla and ensuring all measures are adhered to. His monitoring visits include the market checking, enforcement of social distance norms and safety measures. He also listens to the grievances of the poor masses from time to time, besides issuing individual oriented certificates and doing other revenue related works. Maintaining the law and order and educating the general public about the COVID-19 appropriate behavior and guidelines issued by Govt from time to time amid COVID-19 has all along been the part of the routine work.
“Besides this, I also cooperated with Sarpanches and Panches in identification, enlisting and motivating the people to get vaccinated at designated Panchayat level vaccination centres on mass mode” he added.
He played an active role along with PRI and concerned officers in the identification of location, provide requisite arrangements for setting up the 5-bedded COVID Care centres at Panchayat level in Block Drabshalla.
After the government rolled out the vaccination plan, Ahsan coordinated and monitored the health officials and other executing agencies in mobilizing the masses and achieved remarkable results .
‘My life has changed after pandemic, for when I go home after duty I cannot hug my children. I have to take extra precautions to keep my family and children safe. I struck a balance between the two my official duty and my duty towards the family. Love and compassion are insuperable in human life,” he shared his experience.
His first place of posting was at village Mulchitter of district Kishtwar in 2003 as Patwari, he stated that my first experience was that Public dealing is difficult- but I took it as an exam of my service and tried my best to work with honestly and diligently to help poor rural masses in every way.
It is pertinent to mention here that, for his extraordinary contributions in the fight against Covid-19.
He said pandemic has taught me, “It’s not the load that weighs you down, It’s how you carry it.”
