Srinagar : Common patients have been pushed to wall after the outbreak of Covid-19 in Kashmir Valley. The situation is really very unbearable for the patients living with in red- or buffer zone.
Not only patients suffer in red zones but common people living there as well. “Covid-19 being the first priority of the government dictum has really created problems for common patients. Don’t common patients have right to reach hospital, purchase medicines, visit doctor, but in red zone, life is totally different. Road are blocked and people are not being allowed to venture out,” said a group of people to KNT.
“I was carrying a patient (child) in my vehicle to visit GB Panth Hospital. The child was not feeling well. I couldn’t take him to hospital as police and forces personnel had blocked the bridge with concertina wire and nobody was in sight near the bridge. I was disappointed and left back,” said Neyaz Ahmed from Mehjoor Nagar.
“As if only Covid-19 patients exist here, other patients value nothing. This is bizarre and outrageous,” he added.
Government has declared scores of areas as red zones. People from these red zones complain of shortage of essentials and medicine. “The biggest problem we face that patients are not allowed to visit the doctor or hospital. Unnecessary blockade of roads and streets have added to the hardships of people,” Ishtiyaq Ahmed from Chattabal said.
“The supply of food, milk and medicine is drying up after our area was declared as red-zone. We are now facing acute shortage of these and other essentials,” said a local Javaid Ahmad from Gundjehangir village.
Another local from Naidkhai village, also a red zone, echoed the concerns about shortage of essential commodities and medicine.
In Srinagar, Bemina, Jawahar Nagar, Chattabal, Eidgah, Watal Kadal, Khanyar, Rainawari and other areas have been declared red zones. Bandipora, the worst affected district, many areas including Konan, Gund Qaiser, Gund Dechina, Hakbara, Madvan, Pethkoot, Chandergeer, Batagund, Gundjehangir and Naidkhai fall in the category of red zones.
In some red zones, roads have been dug and walls erected to restrict the movement of the people. “In the garb of Covid threat, authorities have forgotten non-Covid people.” (KNT)
