People from several villages declared as red zones and buffer zones by the authorities in Hajin town of this district on Tuesday complained shortage of essentials.
“The supply of food, milk and medicine is drying up afterour area was declared as red-zone. We are now facing acute shortage of theseand other essentials,” said a local Irshad Ahmad from Gundjehangir village.
“Our neighboring villagers also don’t allow us to entertheir areas for concerns that our village is red zone. At times we are beingabused and beaten” he said.
During last one month, dozens of persons from Gundjehangirwere detected COVID19 positive. These included a family whose one family memberdied due to COVID19 infection.
Following rise in the case, the authorities declared thevillage as red zone and adjoining areas as buffer zone to stop spread of thevirus.
Another local from Naidkhai village, also a red zone, echoedthe concerns about shortage of essential commodities.
“My wife suffers from a severe headache for which she needsregular medication. However, with area sealed, I am not able to get themedicines for her as our village is sealed from all sides. Not even a medicalshop is allowed to open. When we try to go to other villages for buyingmedicine, we are being beaten,” said Farooq Ahmad Bhat.
The red zone villages include Konan, Gund Qaiser, GundDechina, Hakbara, Madvan, Pethkoot, Chandergeer, Batagund, Gundjehangir andNaidkhai.
On Tuesday this reporter received dozens of calls fromresidents of these zones about shortage of essentials.
“There should be a proper way to sort out this issue. Peopleare suffering a lot. It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensureavailability of the essentials in the red and buffer zones,” said anotherlocal.
Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) forcoronavirus control in Bandipora said he has asked police to allow localshopkeepers to open their shops in turns.
Recently, DeputyCommissioner Bandipora issued an order directing the officers concerned toensure the availability of all essentials commodities to people in red zone andbuffer zone areas so that people would not face any inconvenience.