SRINAGAR: One after the other, people in Kashmir have begun to contribute to mitigate the challenges thrown up by Covid-19. First, it was a group of businessmen who offered their hotels for quarantining people with travel history. Their contribution made it possible to keep hundreds of people under appropriate quarantine conditions. Before the hotel accommodations were offered, people were being bundled in a single room, without sanitisers, masks, and hygienic washrooms.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Choudhary had tweeted some pictures of the hotels that had been offered free to the administration. Choudhary, however, had not mentioned the hotel on Srinagar outskirts he had sealed for refusing to provide quarantine accommodation.
Well-known businessmen and philanthropist Abdul Hamid Bhat has offered Rs 10 lakh for community-based groups that are working to help defeat the communicable virus. Bhat, in a social media post, said that the money will be used for getting protective gear required by health workers who are dealing with infected patients.
It is likely that more such help will come from people, given the history of how philanthropy has helped Kashmir deal with persistent crises.
Bhat also offered generators free of cost wherever required. To the Power Department he has given four generators, which will be installed at places where people are quarantined. These places are IMPA at MA Road, Shah Abbas Hotel at Dalgate, Degree College Bemina, and hotel Silver Star at Dalgate.
Charitable organisations Athroat and Help Poor Trust have begun to prepare protections kits for doctors and nurses. Waheed, a volunteer at Athroat, said that they are procuring about 10,000 N95 masks, mainly for doctors and nurses. He said that they are also locally manufacturing three-layered masks for the general public and going door-to-door to inform people about how to respond to the situation.
“We go to places where there is least possibility of reaching out with information about the virus,” Waheed added. “We create awareness and people humbly listen.”
A number of private schools have also offered their infrastructure, including building, transport, and manpower. President of the private schools’ association, J&K, GN Var said that all private educational institutes have voluntarily decided to help the government to fight the situation.
A group of doctors, businessmen, engineers, and journalists have formed a group on Facebook to inform and advise people on what is to be done under the circumstances. The group shares information faster than many media outlets.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz