Jammu: Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla on Sunday asked LG Administration to review its decision to reopen schools in J&K amid surge in Covid-19 cases and high mortality rate, There is widespread resentment in Jammu and Kashmir against the school education department since it expressed the government’s ‘intention’ to reopen schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.Parents of school students are aghast, many say that the decision is not only idiotic but will prove extremely dangerous, putting children’s lives at stake.“What is the logic of opening schools when every day more than 1500 people are testing positive for Covid-19. How can we put the life of our children in risk,” said Bhalla.“Are the officials okay with making our children soft targets? It seems some officials want to score some points for their own benefits,” he said.
This was observed by former Minister while interacting with aggrieved people of Bahu Fort in Kacha Tallab as a part of his compaign to listen to grievances of people of Gandhi Nagar constituency on Sunday. Prominent among those present on the occasion include Block President Jatinder Singh Chib, Vijay Singh Chib, Latish Sharma, Diwan Chand,GS Sodi, Balram, Sahil Shavotra, Pintu Sagotra, Amit Dalotra, Goutam Chalotra, Bittu Charak beside others.
Bhalla observed that People on social media were also wary of the decision which comes at a time when the number of Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir has crossed 50000 and the death toll has surged.“Reopening of schools is not as easy as it is made to appear. One thing is clear, parents will never risk the lives of their children by sending them to schools in the middle of the worsening coronavirus crisis, no matter how much “academic loss” it entails or whatever it means,” said Bhalla.
“While babus are out with circulars suggesting reopening of schools this month, they are mum on explaining the rationale behind rushing through the decision to the anguished parents… Expecting school children to undertake social distancing and follow safety protocols, when top officers and doctors are falling prey to the deadly virus, is nothing but idiocy,” he said.Bhalla asked the J&K administration to defer the decision of opening schools. He exhorted the administration to exercise caution while deciding to reopen schools amid unfortunate increase in Covid-19 cases, saying any wrong move could be detrimental to the students.
Former Minister expressed serious concern over dropping weapons and some cash in Indian currency using a drone by Pakistan in Rajouri district.He however commended well-coordinated joint operation by police and 38 Rashtriya Rifles in Rajouri sector of Jammu region, frustrating Pakistan’s design to step up violence and disturb the prevailing peace in the Union Territory.He said this was the third such incident in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch since September 11.Earlier, a huge consignment of arms and ammunition was recovered from two people in Balakote sector of Poonch three days later 11 kg of heroin worth Rs11 crore, meant to fund terrorism activities, was seized in Rajouri district.
“Pakistan and its agencies always remain active and are making every effort to disturb peace and law and order in J-K. It is using drones to drop weapons and narcotics and also push terrorists from both Rajouri and Poonch districts, which had witnessed a spurt in ceasefire violations – almost on a daily basis, he said. He said the need of the hour is police, Army and other forces should work together to scuttle Pakistan’s design and to maintain peace and law and order in the Union Territory besides good operational synergy.The people of Rajouri and Poonch are peace loving and they will not allow Pakistan to succeed in its design. There are some elements with whom security agencies should deal sternly,” he said.He termed the dropping of weapons through drones as a “big challenge” and said this is the first such aerial drop in the district though a similar attempt was foiled by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the International Border in Kathua district sometime back.
Bhalla urged four member team of experts from the Union health ministry on a two day visit to ascertain the causes and suggest corrective measures to reverse the trend Amid the spike in Covid-related deaths and a surge in the number of infections caused by the fatal pandemic to present clear picture to Union govt for taking concrete steps to control surge in cases and morality rate of covid related deaths.Former Minister said that the team must visit government medical college and hospital (GMCH) Jammu to see how hospitals are combating Covid-19 pandemic, how are they equipped to tackle it, how can they make them better and how Centre can help improve the situation.They should spoke to the medical superintendent, the principal of the hospital and other faculty members to understand difficulties faced by them.There are certain areas where they can improve the facilities. These problems certainly need a solution,” he added.He said that the team should also visit other major hospitals in the region.There should be discussions about ICU beds, per day arrival of patients, death rate and trend of the infection.. There are the hospitals that witnessed a sudden spike in deaths and they include government chest diseases hospital and the GMCH,” said Bhalla.
Former Minister said that Patient care has been severely hit at GMCH Jammu, which has become a battlefield for senior doctors and the incumbent principal.Peeved over indiscipline and chaos, Dr Digra had recently written to L-G Manoj Sinha, opting for VRS citing interference in working of the hospital from “extra-institutional” officials, he said.Attendants of Covid patients at the hospital complained of shortage of oxygen cylinders and an unavailability of beds while a video, in which paramedics were seen escaping out of windows leaving behind patients at the mercy of God at an isolation ward of the hospital, went viral on Thursday.The team need to support the state’s efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of the positive cases.The Central team should also help in effectively managing the challenges related to a timely diagnosis and follow up, maintained Bhalla.
