Pir Azhar is an activist and Community Correspondent for the KashmirUnheard team. Pir has used alternative media to bring attention to problems faced by people of his area. He has been successful in using media effectively to put pressure on authorities and get long pending issues resolved. He is now using Mobile Journalism as a tool and ideating citizen journalists…

Pir Azhar

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Jammu and Kashmir administration had suspended the usage of biometric scans in government offices to mark attendance and for any disbursal for government scheme benefits since March 2020. However, when Video Volunteers community correspondent Pir Azhar went to collect his quota of monthly ration he was refused until he scanned his fingerprint in the biometric scanner.

Today, when more than 15,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported from the region of Jammu and Kashmir this directive from the administration is questionable.

Pir Azhar interviewed locals from Guzriyal, Kupwara who had come to collect ration at government ration shops and they protested this action by the administration. 

Also, workers at ration shops have not been provided with adequate PPE kits, masks and sanitisers to keep themselves safe from infection.

Only after the video was seen by government officials did they pass orders of suspension of biometric scanning of fingerprints for disbursement of ration allotted by the government.