Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar May 19 (KINS): Administration has come under the sharp criticism over irrational and uneven distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and diverting five oxygen plants meant for Kashmir hospitals to Jammu region.
As Kashmir has been witnessing more COVID cases in the UT, administration recently diverted five oxygen plants meant for valley hospitals to Jammu.
Similarly, there has been an uneven distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
According to official figures accessed by Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), Jammu division has been able to administer doses to 85.66 % population compared to 61.15% in the Kashmir division in the age group of 45 and above.
EJAC President Fayaz Ahmad Shabnam has expressed concern over irrational and uneven distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, says Kashmir being neglected, reported shifting of Oxygen Plants from Srinagar to Jammu is “politically motivated”.
The EJAC President of the amalgam organization of employees of UT of J&K, Employees’ Joint Action Committee (EJAC) has expressed serious concern over the non-availability of COVID-19 vaccines for past six (06) days in the valley. Voicing the concerns the senior trade union leader, he told news agency KINS, “Not a single person has been vaccinated since past six days in Valley, while as there has been no paucity of the vaccine at Jammu on the other hand.”
The leader said that both the divisions need to be treated equally and there shouldn’t be any irrational and uneven distribution. He said that a good number of people had to be inoculated previously for first dose and now they have been left high and dry as their time for next dose has arrived.
Criticizing the stand of Government on the changing stance for putting lame excuses to fore as face saving because of the non-availability of stock Shabnam asked that was it wise to share your “only loaf of bread” with your neighbours when your own family was starving.
“There has been ever increasing ratio of supply and demand and the gorge is deepening every passing hour”, he added.
“Pertinently, if reports are to be believed, the data of which is available with the organisation, not a single person has been vaccinated, neither for the first nor for second dose in the valley for past six days. While as Jammu has received its share of vaccines and the process is on there. Again reportedly, some odd five oxygen plants have been shifted to Jammu from Kashmir, this speaks volumes about the otherwise huge claims of the government. In fact it exposes the secret agenda which seems to be indiscrete somewhere,” he said.
The President said that the public can’t be befooled for long and it is the moral duty of the government to come clear as people are forced to raise brows for certain illogical reasons need explanation.
“It is well known that in the beginning it was strictly said that the two doses must be taken within a time span of twenty eight (days) or say four (04) weeks. Hence all the frontline warriors, including doctors, paramedics, police personnel some teachers etc who got their both doses as per that protocol. Next it was said that better would be to take the second dose after eight (08) weeks and now it is being emphasized that the gap must be three months.”
“We have only one question to ask, if the experts say that it takes three month’s time to generate antibodies have they taken the most important lot, the frontline warriors, as Guinea pigs?” the leader retorted.
“If yes, have they not put their lives at peril and if no, are they not endangering the lives of the common people”, the leaders added. In both the cases the common sense says that it is the paucity and shortage of the vaccine and unfortunately the intellectual and responsible class of the society, or moving a step further, the saviours are being used as puppets and made to change their statements every passing week. It is extremely painful to learn that the common man has been kept in dark and no concrete plans have surfaced so far.”
The leader said that “he humbly implores the government both at Central and at UT level to come to the rescue of the general public at an earliest, lest it takes a murky turn”.
Similarly, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice president and former MLC G N Monga has expressed serious concern over the non-serious approach of J&K administration in vaccinating the people against COVID-19 in the region.
Monga said for the last almost one week no vaccination has taken place in Kashmir for both 18-44 and 45+ age group people which is a serious concern. “At a time when the whole attention of the administration should have been on vaccinating more people, unfortunately, the drive has come to a halt all of a sudden due to the shortage of doses,” Monga rued.
The Congress leader while questioning the administration’s preparedness, said, “A few weeks back the administration claimed that enough doses of vaccines are available with it. Where have these vaccines vanished all of a sudden? There is a deep chasm being witnessed between the Government claims and reality on the ground.”
“Even people whose second doses are due are hankering for the same. It is a grave situation which needs immediate attention of the Government. The acute dearth of vaccines in Kashmir had to be addressed on a priority,” Monga demanded. “There is also a need to make people in rural areas aware about the importance of getting vaccinated. However, for that first enough doses of the vaccine are a must.”
The JKPCC vice president also underscored the need to provide adequate number of oxygen plants in both Kashmir and Jammu provinces rationally without any discrimination. Similarly, many leaders and common masses have criticized the administration for diverting oxygen plants meant for Kashmir hospitals to Jammu region. (KINS)
