SRINAGAR: Jammu and National conference on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the government’s unprecedented move to station various pivotal departments in Jammu secretariat saying the illogical order besides disempowering Kashmir will impinge on the efforts underway while tackling the burgeoning cases of COVID19 in the valley.

Expressing dismay over the order whereby various pivotal departments have been ordered to continue functioning from Jammu secretariat, party’s spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said that such dictates are unbecoming at a time when there has been a spike in COVID-19 related cases in Kashmir division.

Kashmir is undergoing its worst-ever public health nightmare and the government’s decision to keep the health and medical education department and other various pivotal departments stationed in  Jammu will perceptibly echo on the ground in terms of access and organizational breakdown. “Moreover Kashmir’s health sector is entirely dependent on the government. There is no vibrant and effective private sector to address the patient rush that has seen a surge in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.  The order will inadvertently hit the morale of ground workers, frontline staff associated with the concerned departments,” he added.

Imran said that there is no convincing reason for the government to station these offices in Jammu permanently given the fact that all the departments traditionally moved to Srinagar with the shifting of Darbar Move to Srinagar.  “The departments and concerned officials are needed in Kashmir to oversee the operations currently underway to help curb the sprawl of COVID-19 crises. In addition to that, the move debunks the claims of forging a balance between the two divisions. It will inevitably fester alienation in Kashmir. The traditional practice of shifting the departments enabled the people to seek redressal of their problems at their doorsteps. How will the poor and deprived visit Jammu to get their issues redressed? Who is going to pay for it?”

Such illogical measures reveal volumes and reflect the aversion the present government nurtures for the people of Kashmir, he said while seeking the shifting of all departments to Srinagar secretariat to keep up with the tradition of annual Darbar Move. He sought the immediate rollback of the order.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here