From Ground Zero,
Bilal Bhat for IndiaTomorrow.net,
Srinagar, July 18: Kashmir is crippled under the worst ever crisis — shortage of medical supplies, baby food, other essentials and fuel is making life miserable for common people in the Valley. With the suspension of internet and mobile services, the whole Valley is under uncertainty and chaos.
As the authorities in the Valley have continued to impose strict curfew on the 10th day across Kashmir to quell massive protests against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani and over 40 civilians in Valley, the continued curfew and unrest have given rise to grave humanitarian situation. Media gagging and clampdown by the government still continue in Kashmir.
Amid tight curfew and restrictions, 65-year-old Rashid Dar has walked seven kms on foot to see his ailing daughter and niece at Hawal Chowk in Srinagar. As the communication is suspended, apprehensive and worried about her daughter, Rashid brings a small bag of rice and pulses for her.
“I have never experienced such kind of worst situation in my whole life. There is no communication, no food is available and we are not able to buy even life-saving drugs. I’m very worried about my daughter – she’s ill and we have not talked to her since last Thursday evening,” he lamented.
While the communication is suspended rumours are making rounds adding more chaos in Kashmir. On 14 July, a house in Kokernag, South Kashmir in which Hizb commander, Burhan Wani was killed was set ablaze by villagers following rumours that the imamates of the house were by some means involved in getting him trapped.
Talking to IndiaTomorrow.net, Shafkat Raina, General Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Youth Civil Society, said: “By snapping communication and gagging media, government is adding commotion – it’s like adding fuel to the fire and thus giving extra air to the rumours. The situation is turning from bad to worse.”
“There is acute shortage of essential commodities especially medicines and baby food. The situation may improve this time by doing cosmetic measures by bringing extra forces and breaking our will but it will have higher repercussions in future if issues are not resolved through humanistic approach,” he further added.
Although, the government has announced emergency numbers for ambulances but due to lack of mobile telephone services people say government is just doing show-off to befool the world about the ground situation in Kashmir.
“As an Indian, I enjoy the same privileges as another Indians do but why this double standard in Kashmir. This is why majority of the Kashmiri youth are disheartened with the centre and is adding further alienation. What kind of joke is this that on one hand you provide us emergency number and on the other snap mobile services. How can we communicate with them,” Irfan Mir, a university student said.
Since Friday, police has started crackdown on the Valley’s renowned print media houses and seized copies of newspapers, barring them from publication of newspapers. Broadband and BSNL services which were the only source of communication are also down.
Valley’s renowned journalist Khursheed Ahmad was barred from reporting by CRPF and police when he was on his way to Press Colony in Srinagar.” What kind of justice is this? Is this democracy? Without any reason, why media clampdown happens only in Kashmir? What is government trying to hide? Government is pushing us into the stone age,” he said.
Appealing to the national media to play positive role in Kashmir he said,” Aren’t we Indian? If you think it’s not only Kashmir, Kashmiries also belong to India they should intervene by supporting human rights and do unbiased reporting in Kashmir. Rumours are spreading like wild fire and it was media which actually helped in breaking these rumours.”
The ambulances and the volunteers ferrying injured have also run short of fuel. The locals claim that their vehicles are running out of petrol and they face lot of trouble due to lack of transport facilities. Earlier, on Thursday, Oil Tankers Association suspended supply of petroleum products to Kashmir, Leh and Kargil citing security reasons in view of the ongoing unrest in Kashmir.
Heaps of garbage on the road can also be seen here and there making life of the people hell as most of the government departments are dysfunctional since the unrest began 10 days ago.
Meanwhile, Amarnath Yatra has been resumed after making extra security arrangements for the pilgrims. No untoward incident has so far happened against the yatra. The Muslim communities have already assured no harm to yatra.
Kashmir used to witness highest number of tourists in the month of July but presently, due to the unrest, the tourist presence in Kashmir is almost nil.
