Jammu Kashmir Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari on Thursday expressed concern over plight of people who despite completing quarantine period in different parts of country were not being evacuated.
In a statement, Bukhari said a number of J&K studentsand pilgrims evacuated by the government of India from Iran have been declarednegative for COVID19 after completing mandatory quarantine period in Mumbai.
“Ironically it is the J&K authorities who have showncomplete indifference towards them and have refused their return to theirhomeland. These hapless J&K residents have been compelled to continue stayingat the quarantine facility in Mumbai, leaving them vulnerable to infection,”Bukhari said, while calling for immediate intervention of Lieutenant GovernorGC Murmu.
Similarly, he said, a number of J&K students who werebrought back from Pakistan via Punjab have completed their quarantine periodand despite Punjab government offering them transport services, the J&Kauthorities were reportedly not allowing their entry to Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am also told that a number of students and craftsmen whohave completed their quarantine period at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and have beendeclared negative for COVID19 are stranded due to apathetic attitude of J&Kadministration,” said the JKAP President.
He urged the LG that all stranded J&K residentsincluding students, pilgrims and traders held up in different quarantinefacilities across the country despite their tests showing negative for COVID19be immediately brought back to their homeland.
“How can J&K administration shy away from itsresponsibility of getting back its stranded residents under the garb of countrywide lockdown? When the supply of essential commodities on national highway isnot blocked due to lockdown, how has J&K administration left its ownresidents to the mercy of hostile conditions of quarantine facilities?” Bukhariasked, while demanding an urgent and appropriate action in the matter.
“The J&K pilgrims who were evacuated from Iran, alightedat an isolation bay in Mumbai, where they were checked by health staff andhanded over to naval authorities for quarantine. Height of the matter is thatthese evacuated pilgrims include women up to the age group of 80. How can theold ailing and fragile women stay in quarantine facility even after theirmandatory period is over,” Bukhari said.
He said the navy had provided them support and planned totake them to Budgam, but the authorities in J&K have not cleared theirjourney.
“Similarly, the students who are stuck at Pathankote, arecraving for help from J&K administration as they are running short of moneyand are not in a position to manage their sustenance anymore. I am told thesestudents have completed their quarantine period and their tests have comenegative for COVID19,” the JKAP President said, while demanding their immediateshifting by air to Srinagar.
He said the government of India must arrange specialdomestic flights to facilitate return of stranded J&K residents fromvarious parts of the country to their homeland, the way flights have beenarranged to shift citizens of other countries who were stuck in various partsof India.