Unbelievable second wave of Coronavirus pandemic across Jammu and Kashmir ;

Unbelievable second wave of Coronavirus pandemic across Jammu and Kashmir

RAHAT GULFAM MATTOO / SHAFQAT SHEIKH

No doubt that Coronavirus is surrounded across the globe and every human individual is getting affected cum infected with this deadly disease since last year. This deadly virus reaches India in March 2019 and infection gets transmitted due to physical contact with the infected one that leads to an increase in the number of positive cases and deaths across the whole nation. As per the advice of doctors and experts, the infected covid positive patient has to undergo fourteen days of isolation of administrative or home quarantine to break the chain of physical contact with any individual in the society.

All these things go around in my mind when I think about this coronavirus. As World Health Organisation declared it as a world pandemic in 2019 and a situation of fear. But it seems that people learned nothing from the entire world burning last year. Currently, we are now been tapped. The general public is getting dead and the situation is grave here. Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc in India.

It was the month of March 2020, when this pandemic had just arrived in India and the Government took measures to fight against this deadly virus. The imposition of Lockdown 1, was announced by the Prime Minister of India, and every citizen acting responsibly fights and tries the best effort to decrease the increase of covid 19 positive cases.

The lockdown was later imposed in a phase-wise manner numbering up to lockdown 5 and after that, it was decided to return and unlock down under phase-wise manner and took precautions and follow Covid 19 SOPs and direction issued by the Government of India.

It became too much unfortunate that the second wave of pandemic again starts in March 2021 forcing to impose the restrictions and avoid the gathering of crowds, closure of institutions, and other establishments.

This time everyone is suffering from this prevailing uncertain condition, it may be either a per-day laborer or a billionaire. “In India, some people died, not because of covid but because of social stigma, because of provocative social messages, because of instigating religious hatred, hatred, because of police abusing, etc. but this time amid of covid, new problem arise i.e, the shortage of oxygen.”. This Covid-19 has taught us new ways of living in all spheres of life, but economies can also get ill from viruses. While the priority remains heath security, a life lost due to covid is no different than the lives lost from hunger. Yet, the latter seldom makes a National Headline.

In the holy Quran, a verse is written “KULU NAFSIN ZAIKATUL MAUT” every soul shall have a taste of death, but the grave concern is that we are inviting this all the time besides taking the precautions. We cannot challenge the verse of the Holy Quran but we have to follow the guidelines and SOPs.

Across Jammu and Kashmir, the life of common had geared due to the imposition of restrictions and curfew-like situations. A few weeks ago, when normalcy had returned and all establishments were thrown open, but suddenly the breakdown of the second wave and increasing in the number of positive cases and shortage of medical facilities and equipment leads to an increase in the death tolls. It’s Jammu and Kashmir the then State and now Union Territory has moved toward various ups and downs from abrogation of Article 370 and passing of reorganization bill on 05 Aug 2019. There was a complete curfew and lockdown that no one has imagined happening so in his/her lifetime and since Jammu Kashmir is waiting for normalcy and development.

From the day one common man in Jammu and Kashmir becomes a victim and waits for returning of normalcy that had become now a daydream for anyone. The citizens bear everything but the situation is of grave concern regarding the failure of the Health care system across Jammu and Kashmir. If the shortage of medical equipment arises in such hospitals where renowned specialists and experts are posted imagine how a middle class could get treatment in rural areas if tested for Covid-19 Positive.

In between the discussion, imposing the night curfew is useless as everyone could say that from 10.00 PM everyone remains at his home and only a few one visit outside for any emergency. There is a need to impose curfew during day hours besides imposing during night hours. The passing of different orders from time to time is also useless besides taking such steps and behave like a responsible administration and every citizen has to act responsibly. The public loses the faith of administration and government because there was a pick and choose manner regarding the imposition of covid-19 guidelines either during the first wave or now during the second wave.

At present responsibility of every citizen lies at the top, to be safe and secure, wear masks because we are well aware that our health system has collapsed. This time people are dying because of lack of oxygen, there is no plan or policies for physical support (medicine, oxygen, vaccine) soon when it is most needed. Moral support and words are not helping.

The shortage of ventilators and oxygen cylinders across the Government and the private hospital had become the biggest challenge to fight against covid and peoples are taking it lightly and ignoring the protocols that need strict implementations on the ground level.

India and Indian citizens need help, unimaginable humanitarian crises occurring at an unprecedented speed and scale. India is staring at Covid Tsunami. Conclusively government should take immediate steps and should equally focus on the indirect crises put forward by the pandemic. There is utmost need to visualize the current scenario from the perspective of the common man.

{The authors are residents of Kishtwar district and are writing columns on current scenario across Jammu Kashmir and can be reached at freelancershafqat@gmail.com, mattoorahat@gmail.com 09419974577}