SRINAGAR NEEDS EASING
Srinagar city has already witnessed four weeks of lockdown and being the capital of Jammu and Kashmir it has more reasons for the easing of restrictions now. There is no spike in the cases of COVID-19 and it has brought fresh optimism among the residents that they will get some respite now.
District Administration of Srinagar has taken slew of measures to combat COVID-19 and has even declared containment areas in the city. Apart from the red zones, authority should seriously look for ways and means to ease the lockdown for the survival of common people living in the city. People of Srinagar have seen months of disruption in life since August 5, last year and they are feeling virtually tossed against wall by this fresh COVID-19 lockdown.
All the efforts of the administration to send essential items on the door steps of residents is fine for the middle class and for those families who have some members as government employees. There is no mechanism for those families in the Srinagar city who have no hard cash available in their homes even to buy the essential items on their door steps. We have a huge chunk of population in Srinagar city who badly need respite from the lockdown so that they earn during the day for their survival.
With curve of COVID-19 coming down in Srinagar city, authorities should look for easing of restrictions especially in the green zones of the city. Supply chain in the Srinagar city is already not working properly, it has resulted in shortage of even medicines in some parts of the city.
