LAYYAH:The Ehsaas Emergency Cash distribution centres have the potential to become a major source of the spread of coronavirus as preventive measures are not being ensured here.

The administration had established 11 distribution centres throughout the district to disburse Rs12,000 among the each needy and deserving. In the first phase, which ends on Thursday (today), 52,961 beneficiaries will be given cash payments.

In Layyah tehsil, five Ehsaas Emergency Cash distribution centres had been set up with a total of 33 counters to receive the cash from. Karor tehsil has three centres and 12 counters, while Choubara has three centres and eight counters. Focal persons have been appointed at each centre for the coordination of the beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries in the first phase included the families registered with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The labourers and daily wagers who lost their livelihoods will be provided cash in the second and third phases.

“The situation is very grave, as the poor cannot even provide meals to their children and dependents,” said MPA Shahabuddin.

However, the beneficiaries seem to be oblivious to the coronavirus threat and women could be seen flouting the social distancing measure and not using hand sanitisers at the cash distribution centres, which could potentially lead to a spread of Covid-19.

So far in the first phase, almost 74 per cent of the 52,961 beneficiaries had been given cash payments by Tuesday evening, claimed district focal person Mr Aurangzaib.

He admitted that during the first three days of the distribution, preventive measures were not followed. “We received complaints about the violation of government guidelines as centres were run by BISP officials.

The district administration intervened and streamlined the whole operation. Now, the preventive measures are being observed and the beneficiaries provided masks, and they use hand sanitisers before walking to the counters,” Aurangzaib claimed.

Abdul Rasheed, a retailer handing out payments in Karor, was apprehended on a complaint that he was deducting Rs1,000 from the allotted payment.

“A criminal case has been registered against him by police,” Aurangzaib said.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2020