Raman Suri
Engineer Manoj Sinha, who is the second Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, in his article published in Daily Excelsior on 26th April 2021, had very categorically spelled out his priorities when it comes to dealing with pandemic that has caught the world unaware and is causing havoc since past one year. While asking people to be compassionate towards each other in these testing times, he is of the view that in its war against COVID-19, for Union Territory of J&K “every single individual counts”. This says it all about the administration’s priorities and preparedness to deal with the situation but this too has certain limitations.
While our UT, like rest of the world, is facing a severe health crisis, we just can’t leave everything to doctors, paramedics, essential service peroviders, executives or bureaucrats, who too are responding to the situation as per their competence and availability of tools. More than that, it’s the common people who have to show utmost restraint, listen and follow COVID-19 guidelines, go in for self-imposed lockdowns as has been done by several traders and business houses besides Bazar Associations in Jammu and try flattening the graph of pandemic as soon as possible.
In a nutshell, we are required to be available to each other as said by Lieutenant Governor who, ever since taking over the reins of Jammu and Kashmir, has been relentlessly moving across the length and breadth of the Union Territory to ensure that every institution works to its full capacity and every system falls in place so that a better, able, accountable and responsive administration is made to stay alive to people’s issues. Today, maximum services have become time bound, e-governance is taking over physical workings and corrupt are being nailed but there still is a long way to go.
We have to address the issue of unemployment, make presence of good industrial and service sectors felt in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and have to organise industrial estates that can accommodate young and educated. Though work on these sectors post abrogation of Article 370 is going on, yet the present day situation calls for a concentrated effort to end the pandemic so as to pave the way for economic and social activities that could take place in full swing, thereby generating ample avenues for each one but, first thing first and that is dealing with the pandemic.
This second wave of Coronavirus is indeed deadly. While LG Manoj Sinha is leading from the front and can be seen visiting Government Medical College Hospital facilities regularly and reviewing preparedness on war footings; doctors, paramedics and staff of essential services too are responding to clarion call in the most responsive manner. Patience and not panic is the need of the hour. The Government has taken a very responsive decision by announcing that COVID-19 vaccination in the age group 18-45 years will be free of cost in the Union Territory. Elders are already getting it for free but the only flaw is that many are not taking their jab, which is dangerous for them as well as others.
LG Manoj Sinha, Alumini of Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi and a three time Member of Parliament (MP) from Mohanpura, Ghazipur District of Uttar Pradesh (UP) who has also served as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications and Minister of State for Railways representing Ghazipur in Central Government, has very humbly appealed to the people to get themselves vaccinated and educate others for the same as well. When the World Health Organisation (WHO), doctors and efficient leaders like LG Manoj Sinha are vehemently asking everyone to be part of the solution, where lies the hitch and why this?
Those looking at this vaccination drive through the prism of politics must get it straight that India, by developing a safe and effective vaccine, is acting as ‘Pharmacy of the World’ and is supplying vaccines to several other nations. Secondly, the vaccination doesn’t belong to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but it belongs to the people who are being administered the vaccines, definitely by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led coalition government at the Centre, in the most effective manner so as to avoid crowding or mess up. Lastly, we don’t have any other way out than getting vaccinated.
Grim pictures of people dying for want of oxygen, innumerable pyres burning in a single go or people falling short of graveyards must be off-putting but at the same time there are religious places offering food, shelter and oxygen to the needy. NGOs, individuals and governments are doing their part by extending all possible help, our three forces are at the backup, new oxygen plants are coming up on war footings and capacities of existing ones are being enhanced, several industrialists have diverted oxygen supply from their plants towards hospitals, world has started supplying ventilators and much needed medicines besides raw material needed for making vaccine to India and almost every iconic building in the world has been lit in Tricolour, which is indicative of the fact that no one has given up and it’s just a matter of time.
To replicate such help, Jammu people too have shown a way. While enhanced COVID-19 testing facilities at Lakhanpur are working like a shield, self-imposed lockdowns by traders and shopkeepers of various bazars in Jammu and people’s positive response to Government guidelines about market schedules is proving effective against the virus. Representatives of Ware House-Nehru Market and adjoining markets besides Kanak Mandi traders and Sarafa Association were the first to respond to Government’s proposal and are since then observing self-imposed weekend lockdown as well as opening of shops on a rotational basis.
From May 1, 2021 vaccination facilities in Government hospitals has already started for younger generation and simultaneously Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s market guidelines, COVID-19 checks at Lakhanpur, market regulations, home deliveries by restaurants and eateries and people’s positive response will all add to the business community’s self-imposed lockdowns. Now the government has also asked teaching staff of all educational institutions to work on a rotational basis to contain their movement, which is a good decision if adhered to religiously.
Amid the crisis, one particular Government guideline is not being followed. Staffers whose family members have tested positive are continuing to attend to their offices. The Government must ask heads of departments to issue clear cut directions to the employees to discourage such people and ask them to go in for self-isolation for at least fourteen days. If this will go unchecked, then the entire purpose of doing such a colossal exercise will do no good to the humanity.
Manoj Sinha has also given data about the country’s economy and how we are dealing with pandemic. In these testing times what is needed by the private companies and Government departments is to ensure safety of their employees. No one should be ousted, healthcare facilities should be extended to everyone even to those whose salaries have been cut by some percentage, hoarding of medicines or oxygen should be discouraged, money should be spent wisely so that it stays in circulation for everyone, doors of help should be kept open for everyone irrespective of caste, creed, region or religion and Social Welfare Department should revitalised to come to the rescue of needy, especially patients.
(The writer is a Philanthropist and Executive
Member BJP, UT of J&K)
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