Early Times Report
Jammu, May 21: The government mandated online registration process for COVID-19 vaccination has starkly exposed the digital divide in J&K, with the Internet savvy urban population cornering access while the poorer, less aware rural people are left out. Today political activist Partap Singh Jamwal said that ever since vaccination has been allowed for 18-44-year-olds in the UT J&K, people of Rural area been trying to book a slot. But they had no success yet. Though the government claims they are keeping lakh vaccines always for the 18-44-year-olds, people who desperately need it, are yet to get a shot. Partap said that the moment the vaccine slots are opened, it shows green and before you blink the slots are all NA. This is a serious concern. In this situation, what would happen to the rural parts of the J&K, which have poor 4G network or weak broadband? It will become near impossible for young people in those areas. He said rural residents of J&K, many without access to smart phones and lacking the digital skills needed to book slots, many are unaware of the requirement are left out of the crucial safety net. He added that there are several in rural village who do not got first dose of vaccine. Now officials are asking them to get online registration. Many people of rural area do not have smart phones. Several of them do not know how to operate even the key pad-based normal phones. For registration, they have to visit cyber centres which are at far off places and shutdown during lockdown. Partap appealed to the LG, J&K UT to take serious consideration and encourage new ideas to tackle this issue. |
