Scores of families and students from J&K and Ladakh stranded in different outsides states, amid the ongoing COVID19 lockdown, on Monday urged the authorities to take immediate steps for their early evacuation.
The stranded people fromLadakh including students, patients, pilgrims and senior citizen stranded atvarious places in Srinagar and different states including Karnataka, Kerala,Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra, said theywere in distress as authorities have let them down.
Some of the students fromthe Union territory were also stuck at various places in Jammu and Delhi. Thestranded people complained that they were running short of money and essentialcommodities including medicine.
“We appeal theadministration of Ladakh to make necessary arrangements for our evacuation,”said a man from Ladakh, stranded in Delhi.
Divisional CommissionerLadakh, Saughat Biswas said they were following the MHA guidelines to implementthe COVID19 lockdown
“It is a nationwidelockdown and we can’t do anything. We are following the guidelines,” Biswassaid.
Many families from Kashmircontinue to be stranded in Jammu and other parts of the country. “Please savemy family from distress. My mother-in-law, wife and sister-in-law are stuck inJammu while my father-in-law is diabetic patient and is alone at his residencein Peer Bagh, Srinagar,” said Umar Mir in an email to Greater Kashmir. “My wifeand her family here are at the verge of collapse.”
He said they approachedoffice of the deputy commissioner (DC) Jammu, but to no avail. “I wonder why weare not being allowed to travel back home after spending months in Jammu. Wehave our own transport available with us,” he said.
Another family fromSrinagar was stranded with a patient in New Delhi for the past one month. “Mymother is a stroke-subarachnoid hemorrhage patient and was being treated atAIIMS, but unfortunately due to COVID19 pandemic her treatment remainedincomplete,” said a woman who identified herself as Safoora.
She said her mother alongwith her two sisters and brother were stranded in Delhi. “Due to increase intemperatures in Delhi and being separated from family in the month of Ramadhan,my mother has started feeling depressed,” she said.
The family has appealedthe district administration Srinagar for their evacuation to Kashmir as earlyas possible.
Also, 200 Kashmiri tradersstuck in Trivandrum area of Kerala today again urged the J&K administrationfor their evacuation.
“Our business is shut frommid-March and we have no source of income now,” said SaliqNajar.
The stranded tradersappealed the administration to make necessary arrangement and evacuate them toKashmir.
“Our families are worriedfor us in Kashmir. In this holy month we want to be with our family. We areready to go for home quarantine but evacuate us from here,” he said.
Divisional CommissionerKashmir, PandurangKondbarao Pole said the decision about the evacuation of thestranded families will be taken after May 3.
“Whatever will beadmissible will be done. Nothing has been decided as of now,” he said.