Srinagar. Abdul Rashid. Age 67, Shikara runs on the famous Dal Lake in Kashmir. They have been doing this work since childhood, now they do not even remember how many years it has been to run Shikara. He says that never before had such difficult circumstances been seen in life. He goes out to Dal Lake every morning with the hope that someone will get a living, but has to return home empty-handed late in the evening.
It has been three months since the lockdown caused by Coronavirus. There is still silence on the famous lake of Kashmir. Empty shikaras are bored standing at the edges. Sitting on these banks, some boys catch fish for hours and these shikaras keep looking at them sitting on their boat with hope. Earlier this place used to be the most buzzing area of Kashmir
Lockdown ruined tourism and economy here
When Article 370 was removed in August last year, the houseboats and shikare of Dal Lake were inhabited by tourists. After the advisory was issued, when outsiders were ordered to return from Kashmir, the tourists were not ready to leave these houseboats and hunts. But the lockdown ruined the economy dependent on residents and tourism here.
Both the houseboat and the hotel are empty, neither are tourists nor businesses. Even after this, these people living on Dal Lake are more alert about the danger associated with coronavirus. Precaution associated with this is the most important for them.
The lockdown on Corona was imposed in Srinagar in March itself, a week before the nationwide lockdown. Rashid did not leave his home for two months due to his age. Whatever was the accumulated capital, all ended, then after Eid, he started to take shelter again, but during this time he never compromised on security.
They never forgot the official guidelines and protocols. Whenever he left home, he left wearing a mask. Hand sanitizer was also taken with Shikara. The rule of social distancing for Rashid and the rest of the people was never broken. Rashid, sitting in his prey, remembers the time when Dal was inhabited.
They say, 'Earlier I used to earn thousand rupees every day, these days not even one rupee comes, nobody knows when this lockdown will end and when everything will be normal in Kashmir, but what is most important now is from this epidemic. To deal with.
Despite the dense population, the corona could not spread its foot
Despite being densely populated, there have not been many cases of corona in the Dal Lake area. Probably not even one. It is not possible to find the right number because it is difficult to guess what part of the corona area will spread in this disorganized area.
Rashid, who is on the hunt, is desperate but the courage is still not broken. He paddles his breath a little and breathes for a while, then says, "I have passed 60 years of age, I am more at risk of this disease, so when the corona spread, I decided that I would sit at home, But then if life has to go on, you have to come out, after 64 days, got out of the house with a boat.
Maximum deaths in Srinagar
As of 22 June, there were 6088 corona cases in Jammu and Kashmir. About 85 people have died of the disease. Of these deaths, 75 have occurred in Kashmir and 10 in Jammu. Srinagar has recorded the highest number of deaths in the entire region. There are many accusations of encroaching on the colony settled on Dal Lake and spoiling the beauty of the lake. The absence of necessary precautions to preserve Dal Lake and the problems related to sewage have also come to the head of the residents at various times.
About 50 thousand families live here. These families have always opposed the government relocation plan. This is the reason why instead of going elsewhere to build a house and live there, they prefer to live in slums, temporary houses, and small sheds on the Dal Lake. After all, the question is about their employment.
Dal Lake is surrounded by large hospitals. On one shore is the oldest hospital in Kashmir, which is the most prominent hospital for testing and treating corona in Kashmir. On the other side is SKIMS which is the second major center of corona treatment. Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital is also not far from Nagin Lake, connected to Dal Lake.
All the governments that came in have spent crores of rupees in the name of cleaning the Dal Lake. According to environmental experts, Dal Lake is dying a slow death. Behind this is the mixing of sewage in the water and the rise of hyacinth.
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