Srinagar: Police on Saturday took several parents into ‘preventive custody’ in Srinagar after they tried to start journey towards Rajasthan where their kids have been stuck in army installation turned quarantine centre for past one month.
“We are extremely worried for the wellbeing of our kids who have been kept far away from their homes unnecessarily. They are surviving in scorching heat with 44 degree day temperature and having no facilities like pure water, electricity, food etc”, a parent was quoted as saying.
He expressed anguish over the apathetic behaviour of Central and State Governments and said our kids were dragged unnecessarily to Rajasthan for quarantine purpose who have completed one month there.
He said parents are extremely concerned for the wellbeing of their kids who after reaching from Iran to New Delhi, were bundled to army installation turned quarantine centre in border area of Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer.
He also said that World Health Organisation (WHO) had already issued guidelines that those evacuated from Iran and other parts of the world should be quarantined simultaneously for a limited period but our kids are there from last one month. We don’t know why government is playing dilly dallying tactics in their evacuation and what purpose it will serve for Central and State Governments.
He added parents approached Union Foreign Ministry, Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary, JKAP President Syed Altaf Bukhari, MP Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi in this regard but our exercises proved futile and we couldn’t fetch justice from there.
He said due to indifferent attitude of authorities, parents had decided to start a journey voluntarily towards Rajasthan to see the miserable condition of their wards as they have started hunger strike as a mark of protest against uncaring attitude of authorities who are still unmoved.
“Over 100 parents had decided to start journey to Rajasthan voluntarily from Press Enclave Srinagar but as handful of parents reached here, police intervened and detained 5 parents and lodged them in Kothibagh police station”, he said.
Parents said the role of J&K Government is highly regrettable as they failed to evacuate our wards from outside parts. “If UP Government can manage 150 special busses for its 750 students and evacuated them from several parts of country, why J&K Government is shying away from their responsibilities?, they questioned.
Meanwhile parents were later driven to Div Com office where they met Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang Pole and discussed the evacuation of students in wake of lockdown situation.
“Div Com told us to wait and watch but we put our genuine demand that our wards should be here by April 20”, one of the parents told the news agency.
It is pertinent to mention that after Covid-19 outbreak across the world, thousands of students, traders, labourers, patients and their attendants got stuck in several parts of country in wake of lockdown restrictions. However, despite their repeated pleas of evacuation, no progress is seen visible in this regard.
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