Return of stranded people to their native states post lockdown will pose challenge: Jitendra Singh
New Delhi, Apr 22 () Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said the return of people stranded in different parts of the country due to the lockdown to their native states will pose a major challenge after the curbs are lifted.
During a video conference with councillors and corporators from across Jammu and Kashmir to discuss COVID-19 related issues, the Udhampur MP said the return movement of people to the Union Terretory from other parts the country will also pose a challenge.
Singh complimented the elected representatives of all the municipal bodies for ensuring coordination between civil society and the administration for effective implementation of government's guidelines regarding COVID-19 crisis management and offering their full cooperation in ensuring lockdown, according to a Personnel Ministry statement.
The minister said he was particularly delighted to note that district collectors and deputy commissioners were voluntarily expressing their appreciation for the cooperation received from the local body representatives.
"With some relaxation having been gradually made despite lockdown, Singh said, the major challenge now is going to be the return movement of people from Jammu and Kashmir, living in other parts of the country, who wish to come back to their homes or those from other parts of the country including the labourers, who are keen to move back to their respective states," the statement said.
The minister said he has been receiving numerous requests from students of Jammu and Kashmir who are residing in different parts of the country as well as their parents back home.
Singh, the minister of State for Personnel, elicited the cooperation of the public representatives, particularly the local body representatives who have grassroots contacts, to explain to the people that the movement and return can happen only in small groups and in a very strategised and discreet manner.
"We cannot take any risk in haste," he said.
There is an inference to be drawn from district Kathua which was so far coronavirus-free in spite of huge influx of people after the declaration of lockdown, but suddenly reported a corona positive case last evening when a person working in Maharashtra chose to return to his village in Hiranagar without following the prescribed guidelines, said Singh.
He said all of us are keen that people held, up in different places, should unite with their families. He also appealed for cooperation in this regard.
Adequate arrangements are being made to provide all requirements to these people in whichever part of the country they are residing and soon after an information is received about their problems, the local district authorities there establish contact with them, said Singh.
He appreciated the spirit with which the civil society has contributed ration and food to labourers in the last four weeks and said wherever any issue is brought to the notice, the respective administration and the corporation/municipal body members are immediately intervening to provide supplementary help.
Singh exchanged inputs with representatives of different municipal bodies.
Prominent among those who presented their views included Chandra Mohan Gupta, Mayor Jammu, Hilal Shah from Anantnag, Ishey from Leh, Naresh Kumar from Kathua, Vijay Kumar Sharma from Hiranagar, Riyaz Ahmad Mir from Kupwara and Yogeshwar Gupta from Udhampur. AKV TDS