Anantnag: While there has been some activity, vis-à-vis cleanliness and sanitization of public places in view of the COVID-19 outbreak in major towns of Kashmir valley, the rural areas have witnessed no such initiative taken by the government so far.
People living in rural areas, particularly in the four districts of south Kashmir are worried about their safety and feel they have been left out in the cold.
The concerned municipalities in south Kashmir have in the past few days carried out cleanliness drives and used disinfectants at many public places.
“Even though what they have been doing is not at all sufficient given that the garbage still gets dumped along the roadsides but still the sanitization of public places like banks, ATM’s and hospitals has been a relief,” say residents of towns like Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama.
People living in the villages, however, have been kept devoid of even these initiatives by the government as most of the villages do not fall under the jurisdiction of the municipalities.
“Do humans live only in towns and cities. Are the people living in the villages not even humans to be taken care of?” questioned a resident of Malangpora village in Pulwama.
Similar concerns were raised by many people Kashmir Reader talked to in villages like Dialgam in Anantnag, Adigatnu in Kulgam district and some villages of Shopian district.
“Who are they actually trying to fool, the people or themselves? We all know that any efforts will be worthwhile only after every nook and corner will be treated the same way by the government. Otherwise the pandemic will take us all down,” a doctor from Dialgam area of Anantnag district told Kashmir Reader requesting not to be named.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole said that that the process of cleanliness and sanitization will soon be started in the villages as well.
“The cities were the first priority because majority of the people live in these areas. I have talked to the Director Rural Development in this regard and asked him to start the same initiatives in villages as well,” he told Kashmir Reader.
Pole added that the process cannot be started on Sunday because of the “Janata Curfew” but it will be started on Monday or the day after.

Suhail A Shah