Dilemma over kits distribution

In Kangra district, the administration and government are in a dilemma about who would distribute the Sanjeevni kits and home isolation kits among patients. While in assembly constituencies that have ruling party MLAs the choice was easy, in the constituencies that are represented by opposition or independent MLAs, the choice for distribution is among various factions of ruling party. In some constituencies there was tussle between independent MLAs and local units of the BJP party leaders. Now it remains to be seen how long patients would have to wait for kits till this political game for credit was resolved.

Clamour for credit

There seems to be clamour amongst netas across the political spectrum to take credit for the work and help being extended by them to the people, suffering from Covid. Social media is splashed with pictures of these politicians distributing relief material, be it from their MLA fund or from personal resources to the affected families. Some MLAs even went to the extent of pasting stickers with their own pictures on these health kits which have pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur lest they be deprived of getting credit. A politician will always be a politician, good or bad times, remarked people mockingly.

Traders — complaining forever

Despite the government giving in to the demands of traders to open the markets, the business community is unhappy and questioning the rationale of opening all the shops for five hours from 9 am to 2 pm. The office-goers and other sections of the society go to the market in the evening. Increasing the timings of curfew would also reduce crowding, they contend. However, a majority of people feel that it would have been better to start with computers, mobile and stationary shops as students studying online are facing problems in getting their mobile phones and computers repaired. The government should have made better arrangements for opening shops in the valley side and the mountainside or on odd-even basis like it was done last year, lamented a leading businessman.