Ishtiyaq Ahmed
Srinagar: The Food Civil supplies and consumer Affairs (FCSCA) employees such as Ration Depot in-charges and labourers Tuesday accused department of not providing them personal protective equipment (PPE).
They said that unavailability of PPE kits and most importantly hand Sanitizers have put their life in danger.
“We are following the direction of district administration in true spirit to deliver ration at the door steps of consumers in the wake of outbreak of pandemic Covid-19. However, the authorities did not provide us personal protective equipment’s (PPEs),” one of Ration Depot in-charge insisted not to be named told this Kashmir Indepth News (KINS) correspondent.
He said they face a genuine question from the consumer that leaves them red faced: “Welcome and appreciate your gesture, but where is your personal protection equipment (PPE).”
In the wake of outbreak of novel Coronavirus, the Prime Minister Narendera Modi had urged all the heads of States and Union Territories to ensure food grains are delivered at the door steps of consumers.
Taking note of the directions, district administration Srinagar took no time to implement the order and started delivering food grains including Atta among the consumers across Srinagar. The process started from April 01 onwards and is still going on.
However, what is disheartening is the fact that the employees of this department here in Kashmir which include ration depot in-charge, and labourers, who are supposed to handover the rice bags to the consumers, don’t wear any PPE and instead use normal face masks as a protective gear at a time when outbreak is at its peak.
Manzoor Ahmed, a depot in-charge in a Srinagar locality told KINS that he has bought seven face masks from his own pocket for the labouers and one of his helper. “We haven’t received any gear or a face mask from the department for delivering ration to the consumers. In fact, none of us has been given any protective gear,” he said.
Another depot in-charge while delivering the rice bags at the door steps of consumers at Bemina area said that he was asked by a woman consumer that they are not wearing any masks or protective equipment in times of pandemic. “We welcome your gesture and really appreciate it, but you should not take risk or put others in risk too. Where is your protective gear?” This is what the woman told him. “I had no answer to her question.”
Reports pouring in from various parts of Srinagar suggested that nowhere FCSCA employees were seen wearing any protective gear barring normal face masks. “At some places, social distance was thrown out of windows as people jostled to get their ration share,” Imtiyaz Ahmed, an employee told KINS.
The Srinagar district administration had already imposed strict lockdown in Srinagar and at least 50 areas across Kashmir have been declared red zones where entry/exit points have been sealed completely in a bid to prevent spread of Covid-19. However, at many places, people are defying the government orders and are not maintaining social distancing as advised by the administration thereby they pose risk for themselves and others too. Director FCSCA after repeated calls did not pick up the phone. (KINS)
