PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI-J&K) today expressed its full confidence in the efforts made by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to confront COVID-19 situation in J&K.
According to a statement issued here, the PHD Chamber extended its appreciation to the J&K Administration in charge of dealing with the 2nd wave of pandemic and “extended thanks to the doctors, all Health workers in public and private sectors, the Armed Forces, J&K Police, and the security bodies for their endeavours, sincerity and hard work in serving J&K under these unprecedented times.”
The Chairman PHDCCI-Kashmir, Baldev Singh Raina expressed deep gratitude to the Administration for ensuring the release of Rs 250 cr Interest subvention. He also urged the government in view of the prevailing conditions for release of the balance pending amount on priority. “The Chamber is aware that the current economic situation affects all economic sectors, whether at local or international level, although there are sectors at this stage that will be affected more than others, such as tourism, hospitality and retail, especially those small and medium enterprises. However, the crisis will affect more sectors such as industry, companies of all rankings, and large companies as well due to the lack of financial flows. Raina added that at this juncture we need to understand that if this second wave of COVID-19 pandemic lashes J&K with severity, it will not be just the middle class who will be affected but millions are likely to overwhelmingly bear the brunt of the suffering which will ensue and can particularly decimate the survival probabilities and fragile livelihoods of the poor. He further said that we as an individual and as an Organisation should reach out to vulnerable communities and individuals in our locality, relation, friends and besides that we need to support the elderly and children, we also need to take some burden off frontline health workers by supplementing public health systems, supplying hygiene kits, Oxygen concentrators and supporting the establishment of free temporary quarantine facilities,” the statement reads.
Raina said “considering the capacity of the health system of J&K to deal with the pandemic when it already submerged the rest of the country, we have only option left to religiously follow the measures adopted by the government to stymie the progress of the virus by adopting ‘work from home’.” He appealed people to “observe the Eid festival in a different manner from the usual celebratory style.”