Srinagar, May 27(KNB): Amid pandemic Covid-19, the bakery owners who tested positive before few days have alleged that administration has not given the compensation yet as bakery items worth lakhs were destroyed in watergam Rafiabad of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district before a few days by the orders of concerned authorities after two Baker’s tested positive for the novel Coronavirus.
The two bakers who after testing positive for the deadly virus have been put under quarantine alleged that their all bakery items which costs around 12 lakhs were destroyed at two shops and godowns by the orders of Tehsildar after their reports came positive for the Coronavirus.
Talking to Kashmir News Bureau on phone, owner of Baker shop Mir Musaib at Rafiabad who had tested positive for Coronavirus said, “While the authorities have put me under quarantine after my sample reports came positive for the virus, Tehsildar along with his team has destroyed all my bakery items which costs around 7 lakhs which is an unscientific method and a complete injustice for the poor people like me who completely depend on small business units for their livelihood.”
Likewise, another Baker owner of Al Habib bakery shop said, “Despite food and Safety have stated that that virus can’t stay on food items including Bakery for more than eight hours,Tehsildar acting in a haste has completely destroyed my bakery items while I was in quarantine centre and got a call from my family member.”
“The loss costs in lakhs as we had to pay our labourers who had been working hard at the godown a week before Eid, Besides we had purchased all the items from the dealers for making bakery without paying them in advance,” he further claimed.
Pertinently, Government officials ordered the bakery sector to open on the auspicious eve of Eid by allowing the bakers to sell as well as deliver the bakery items after being tested for the virus and conducted random tests of Baker’s across the valley.
Food and Safety Commissioner showing concern over the incident has stated that the virus can’t stay on food items including Bakery for more than eight hours, in Spite of destroying all the bakery items in an unscientific manner authorities could have either seized the shop for a day or more ar have stored the bakery items for two days after which the virus would have completely vanished even if it was present on bakery items and people could have consumed it safely.
Despite repeated calls made by news agency Kashmir News Bureau Tehisder Watergam didn’t pick up the call for his comments.(KNB)