Srinagar, July 8: In order to ensure that no one suffers in their localities  for want of essential supplies the Mohalla committees at various places in the summer capital have started pooling resources.
According to the Mohalla Committee members many residents of the old city areas are facing acute shortage of essential commodities due to curfew. “The shortage of essentials, including milk, vegetables and medicines has made the life difficult for the inhabitants. These concerns have made already existing Mohalla committees more invigorated to ensure that nobody suffers,” residents said.
Describing such initiatives as a common practice in Kashmiri society since decades, they said that Kashmiris have always taken such steps to help each other in the times of need. “Similar situation prevailed in the valley in 2008 when curfew was clamped during Governor’s rule . At that time we had constituted a committee by the name of Darul Baqa to raise the funds to help the needy,” members said.
“Today we are again facing the same situation so we have again geared up to pool resources to make sure that no one suffers for want of food and other essentials like medicine etc,” they added.
Apart from supporting the needy people of their localities, many Mohalla committees are also raising funds to help the people who are admitted in the hospitals that are located adjacent to their localities. “As we are living in the close vicinity of the SMHS hospital so we think it  is our moral duty to feed the patients and their attendants,” said Irfan Ahmad Shah a resident of Chattabal Srinagar.
Such committees have been formed in Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Gojwara, Rajouri Kadal,Nawabazar and many other localities of old city . “We are collecting rice, vegetables and money from the people to help the needy. We are not demanding any fixed amount from them, but the people are donating very generously for the cause. Almost every household is donating one to two kilograms of rice and Rs10 to Rs 20,” they added.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 9 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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