COVID-19|Bukhari urges for Community Based Disaster Management

Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) President Altaf Bukhari on Monday emphasized for setting up a Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) to stem spread of Coronavirus in J&K.

In a statement, Bukhari appealed his party colleagues andcadres to work together to assess vulnerability of people in their respectiveareas and respond accordingly to mitigate economic impact of COVID-19. “Insocieties where the virus hits, it is deepening the consequences of inequality,pushing many of the burdens onto the underprivileged and marginalized sectionsof the society and lower economic strata. We should not expect everything fromthe government and should instead adopt a community based approach to tacklethis pandemic,” Bukhari said.

   

He said the community based disaster management warrantsaffluent classes to come forward and mitigate impact of identified hazards ofthis deadly disease and respond and rehabilitate their neighbors who are indire need of help.

“Social distancing does not mean that we will take care ofour families alone while sitting indoors. In these hard times, we should notforget our social and moral responsibility to look after our poor neighborswhose livelihood has got worst hit by mandatory restrictions imposed by thegovernment,” Bukhari said.

He said there was a dire need to reach out to the dailyrated workers, daily wagers, ITI skilled labourers, casual labourers,construction workers, vendors, and other sections of the society whoselivelihood has been badly affected by the lockdown.

“While these sections ofthe society will remain healthy by home confinement but they are suffering lossof income or healthcare as a result of quarantines and other measures,potentially on a sweeping scale. I appeal my party colleagues and cadres tocome forward to help such affected families irrespective of their faith andbeliefs,” he said.

Bukhari demanded that all BPL beneficiaries be given freeration by the government through Public Distribution System and the governmentmust ensure this ration was home delivered to the families in order to preventjumbling at government depots and fair price shops.

The JKAP President also urged the Centre to restore highspeed mobile internet services in Jammu and Kashmir so as to enable people tokeep themselves updated with the government advisories on prevention ofCOVID-19 on real time basis.

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