As the coronavirus outbreak has caused a massive shortage of face masks across India, youths in many villages of Kashmir valley have turned to mask making to combat the spread of the deadly disease.For instance a young man Aijaz Ahmad Malik, a resident of Tarzoo village of north Kashmir’s Sopore, has volunteered to make masks in his village and distribute it to people free of cost.
Aijaz said there is a shortage of masks in the area and he along with his friends has started making face masks so that people can protect themselves.
“In most villages, there are no masks available. I saw many people asking for masks. It compelled us to make masks at the local level. Once we complete, the mask making process, we will distribute the stock in the entire area,” he said.
As per reports, most of the face masks are made in China and Taiwan.
Aijaz, who has a furniture shop in Sopore, said due to COVID19 scare and lockdown, people are facing problems to get masks.
“We have prepared over 400 masks from the past two days. There is more risk of infection in the villages,” he said.
Aijaz, 35, said in cities, there are NGO’s and other government organisations but questions who will reach out to far-flung villages.With lockdown in place to fight the deadly disease, there is a shortage of masks at medical stores across Kashmir.
Another local volunteer, Gowhar Ahmad Mir from Zahad Bagh Pulwama, a tailor by profession has also started making masks along with his friends.
“We are preparing two layer masks for people and other essential services. There is non-availability of masks,” he said.Gowhar said he works day in and night out to meet the requirements of masks in the area.
He has also trained a few friends with an aim to help him so that they can distribute the same to people waiting for wearing the same.Many people complaint that either they couldn’t find masks at chemist shops or even if those are available, they sold at higher prices.
“Some people are taking advantage of the situation. It is irony that in the times of global crisis, people are busy in getting profits,” said Mudasir Ahmad, a volunteer from central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
“We have already distributed 600-700 face masks in past 4 days. We have coordinated with one of friends, who is a tailor by profession and we are helping him in view of coronavirus scare,” he said.
Another local volunteer from Sagar Suhail Bhat from Gulgam Kupwara has also preparing the face masks at his home from past few days.Bhat who is a tailor by profession said he prepared more than 150 masks on Friday and distributed them among the locals in his village.
“There is a shortage of masks in the market and so it took this opportunity to contribute something to my own society. Everyone has a duty to combat spread of the deadly virus,” he said.
