Amid COVID-19 threat, non-locals begin to arrive in Valley

SRINAGAR — With the changing weather and rise in the temperature, hundreds of laborers, besides a sizable number of beggars, have begun to arrive in valley, amid the threat of Coronavirus, raising panic among the locals.

Reports received from various areas of the valley have indicated that amid the Coronavirus outbreak threat, since a couple of weeks, hundreds of non-local laborers, including beggars, are arriving here in large numbers, given to change in weather.

Meanwhile, locals from some areas in south Kashmir have alleged that the non-locals are being allowed without screening, which could result in disaster.

While administration has said that screening points for incoming passengers, coming from outside the valley, have been put up at the entry points to valley, bus loads of non-locals have been seen arriving over a couple of weeks, who have by now scattered in different parts of the valley, allegedly many among them have been allowed without proper screening.

Several of these non-locals, after identifying free spaces, have already put up tents in various areas of the valley and have begun their activities for livelihood, while mixing with the local population. Several such inhabitations of non-locals have come up from south to north along the highway.

Meanwhile, beggars are seen begging at various crossings of the city, mainly at Bemina, Hyderpora, Sanat Nagar and Nowgam crossings. Some are also selling various items, including wet coconuts at these locations, which could prove disastrous and threat to public health, if anyone among them is a carrier of the infection.

Ghulam Rasool Rather, a resident from Chandrigam Tral said that hundreds of non-local laborers have arrived in their village without having been screened.

He said, “We asked them (laborers) whether they were screened for Coronavirus before entering into the valley, they replied in negative.”

“Isn’t it callous and irresponsible on the part of authorities to allow such a huge number of non-locals, without being screened, when whole world is reeling under the risk of a pandemic?” he said.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the Deputy Director Health Kashmir division, Dr. Bashir Ahmed Chalkoo, rejected the allegation, saying that the department has put two screening points on Jammu-Srinagar Highway, one at Jawahar Tunnel and another in Lower Munda and incoming passengers from outside are being properly screened under the norms laid down for screening.

Meanwhile, reports of panic due to the arrival of non-locals in large number have also been coming from various parts of the valley, who have demanded proper screening of the incoming non-locals to deal with the emerging risk of a pandemic.