North Kashmir residents distribute eatables among city dwellers
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Relief was also provided to Sikhs and non-Kashmiri labourers
Mir Tariq Aug 14: Expressing unity with the urban population of Srinagar city, people in North Kashmir districts of Bandipora and Baramulla collected vegetables and distributed them among the dwellers in summer capital, who was confronting shortage of essential commodities. The relief supplies were also distributed among the non-Kashmiri labourers and Sikhs in the twin districts.People in various villages of Bandipora were seen collecting vegetables, rice and other eatables for the Srinagar people, who are facing shortage of essentials due to the incessant curfew and blockade of Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Muhammad Saidulla, one of the volunteers said, “We collected rice and vegetables for the people residing in Srinagar city who are facing acute shortage of vegetable from couple of days.”Another volunteer, Fayaz Ahmad, said, “The firing on peace peaceful protesters will not make us lose our spirits. We are totally with the people, who are protesting in Kashmir”.In Safapora village of Bandipora youth formed small groups comprising 10 persons and the group visited every village to collect relief for the city dwellers."We collected eatables from various villages and then store it in Safapora. They were later loaded in trucks and sent to various parts of city," said Saidullah Bhat.At several places women were on the forefront in collecting the eatables. Zainab, a resident of Bandipora said, "Collecting vegetables and rice for the people, who are braving bullets gives us satisfaction that at least we are also part of the struggle”.In Baramulla town, people distributed relief among non Kashmiri labourers and Sikhs, who were facing starvation due to shortage of eatables in the town.The vegetables were distributed among the Sikhs at Deewan Bagh, Kanli Bagh, Singhbagh etc. People also distributed the vegetables and eatables among non-Kashmiri labourers in Azad Gunj area of old town.Ashoka Kumar a labourer from Gujarat said that they were facing problems from past three days as they were running short of eatables. "We would like to thank our Muslim brethren for providing us eatables at this hour of crisis," he said. Kumar further said, “Even our relatives would not have been such generous to us. Despite losing their near and dear ones in police firing, people are stilling taking care of us".Nazir a local said that they are taking special care of the non-Kashmiri labourers. “We have asked the relief activists to provide eatables to them on priority basis," said Nazir.In the wake of shortage of essential commodities due to the ongoing curfew and economic blockade, people residing in the adjoining villages of Baramulla town are donating tons of vegetables, rice, flour etc to the town.Ghulam Hassan Bhat of Chakla, Baramulla, who donated a truck full of vegetables on Thursday, says that it's the moral responsibility of the villagers to help the people of Valley who are facing acute shortage of eatables these days.“In the past two days, at least 20 trucks and tractors laden with vegetables have been sent to different parts of Baramulla town from our village. We will not allow our people to starve even if we have to empty our own homes," said Bhat.Some of the relief trucks were also dispatched to Srinagar, where people are facing shortage of essential commodities. Mohammad Subhan Dar of village Ushkura said, "It's the people of towns and cities who stood by us and raised their voice when our fruit produce was rotting. Now it's our turn. We have the capacity to feed our brethren for a year and won’t let them to die of starvation."Muzamil, 21, a college student of old town Baramulla, is happy with the show of unity in these dire circumstances. “It's not only about help but it's about unity. See the way the fellow Kashmiris living in villages are showing solidarity with us. I think if this unity is sustained, nobody can defeat us," added Muzamil.