Business community comes out to help daily wage earners in Kashmir valley

SRINAGAR:  With the Kashmir Valley under third consecutive lockdown in as many years, the business community has launched an initiative to reach out and help the needy and vulnerable families in times of distress. “We at Kashmir Chamber and Commerce felt that individual efforts were not enough to meet the unprecedented challenge posed by the pandemic.

These are difficult times and demand pooling of resources. We joined hands and launched the You Are Not Alone initiative to help the vulnerable families. This initiative will give them a message that they are not alone,” businessman Nasir Hamid Khan, the chief coordinator of the YANA, told this newspaper.

“We have to rise as a society to help those who have been hit by the lockdown.” The Valley is under Covid lockdown for over a month. After scrapping of Article 370 in August 2019, strict lockdown was imposed and the lockdown was again imposed in March last year after the outbreak of pandemic. “Locals including drivers, conductors, shikarawalas, artisans, weavers, daily wagers, labourers, footpath vendors, ponywalas are affected by the lockdown.

The lockdown has hit their livelihood,” Nasir said. Ration kits with essentials including edible oil, food items, rice, flour, spices, pulses, soaps and masks will take care of a month’s needs. “We launched the initiative Monday and prepared 500 food kits.

Besides ration kits, we will also be providing other essential items.” In the second phase, Nasir said, the plan is to provide clothes, books, stationery, toys and furniture to the beneficiaries. The YANA chief coordinator urged people and traders across the Valley to contribute to the cause. “Their contribution will ensure that nobody sleeps hungry in the Valley.”