Outside labourers’ entry into Kashmir barred: IGP
3 Scholars who escape from AMU traced
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 21: Authorities in Kashmir today said that they are barring the entry of outside labourers into Kashmir and cancelled leave of the employees and gazetted holidays as part of measures to prevent spread of COVID-19.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told Excelsior that the non-local labourers will not be allowed into Kashmir for the time being to prevent the outbreak of the virus in Valley. He said that since all kinds of activities are shut here, it is better not to allow them to enter the Valley for the time being as a precautionary measure.
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District Magistrate Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary today using his powers directed the private persons and organizations to follow the instructions of the administration for providing services or assisting the authorities or officials engaged in measures for creation of facilities etc.
In the order, he said that in view of the emerging situation because of the threat from the Coronavirus epidemic and the need for strengthening of response apparatus to contain its spread, the administration has ordered cancellation of all gazetted holidays in the district.
The order issued under Sections 33 and 34 of the Act directed that officials of Essential Services departments and those involved in measures for containment of spread of Coronavirus infection will not avail any gazetted or restricted holidays including Sundays and will not avail any leave.
It also directed that all Government officers and officials who might be on leave shall report to duty as and when required or asked.
The order stated that non-compliance with instructions under the order or creating of obstructions in implementation of measures for dealing with the emerging situation will attract strict action as warranted under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act.
It stated that strict penalties will be levied in cases where officers as authorised for the purpose are obstructed in discharge of their duties or not cooperated or complied with. It noted that such acts are punishable with imprisonment and fine adding the former can extend up to 24 months.
And after complaints of lack of arrangements at the quarantine facilities for those with foreign countries travel history, the District Magistrate Srinagar ordered to ensure comfortable and safe stay of persons – arriving back from outside countries. The Srinagar administration has fixed roles and responsibilities of officers assigned to different quarantine centres as incharge of relevant facilities.
Choudhary issuing strict instructions in this regard has warned that lapses will lead to strict action under rules as warranted against concerned officials.
Concerned officers have been instructed to ensure provision of all requisite facilities ranging from daily sanitisation and cleaning of rooms including toilets and premises to hygiene kits to twice-a-day medical screening and updation of reports and their forwarding to the COVID-19 control room to food for four times a day to round-the-clock power and water supplies to heating arrangements to proper accommodation for the assisting staff among other facilities.
Choudhary warned that complaints and lapses in this regard will lead to strict action against concerned officers.
And today the authorities enforced restrictions on movement and assembly of people for the third consecutive day in Kashmir Valley to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.
Police and security forces had blocked the roads with concertina wires and other barricades to prevent movement of the people. At some areas, paramilitary forces placed vehicle on intersections including to enforce the restrictions. However, government and essential services employees and people with emergencies have been allowed to move.
Police also made announcement asking people to stay indoors and maintain social distancing through public address systems.
The restrictions, under section 144CrPC, were imposed immediately after a 67-year-old woman, who returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for coronavirus on March 18, making her the first and only case of COVID-19 in Kashmir Valley so far.
According to officials, the restrictions on movement across Srinagar and other places are aimed at containing the spread of the Coronavirus. They said emergency and essential services including hospitals, power, water, fire and emergency, supplies and services, patient care facilities, waste disposal, sanitation, offices, ambulances, machinery have been exempted for the purview of the restrictions.
Restrictions were also imposed from other parts of the Valley including South Kashmir’s Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam districts besides northern Kashmir’s Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora as well as central Budgam and Ganderbal.
The authorities have already banned all types of public transport including bus, minibus, maxi cab and auto passenger services in district Srinagar with immediate effect till further orders.
“To mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, It is hereby ordered that no Bus Service/ Mini Bus Service/Maxi Cab Service/Auto Passenger Service shall ply in District Srinagar with immediate effect till further orders”, read an order issued by regional transport officer Kashmir.
“Further, no public transport shall enter District Srinagar from the North, South, or central District of Kashmir Division,” the order added.
And authorities in Kashmir are imposing curfew-like restrictions tomorrow to prevent the movement and assembly of people.
The IGP said that extra police force and para-militaries will be deployed across the Valley to ensure that strict restrictions are imposed. He appealed to people to cooperate with the police and other security forces.
“It may be Janata Curfew by name, but the history of Kashmir is such that whatever the situation is, the restrictions cannot be imposed without the police or security forces enforcing them,” he said.
He added the motive of the curfew is to break the chain of the spread of the novel coronavirus. He said that the strict restrictions will continue for over a week to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Kumar also said that bulk SMS services would be started Saturday evening to allow the spread of awareness messages to the people through the medium.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole appealed to the people to comply with the curfew call. He said the government is alert and prepared to contain the spread of the virus.
In the meantime, District Magistrate Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that 255 more citizens have arrived back in Srinagar from Bangladesh and other countries today. “The persons have been isolated to undergo quarantine as a preventive measure. It’s notable that 50 well-equipped quarantine facilities have been set up in the district”, he said.
And a person, with travel history to Saudi Arabia, today ran away from Chest Disease (CD) Hospital Srinagar as medicos were preparing to take his sample for coronavirus test.
He was advised by the district authorities to visit the hospital as a part of precautionary measure, and reported to CD hospital today.
A resident of Padshahi Bagh Srinagar, the person was prescribed to undergo chest X-Ray and other tests including one for coronavirus. He ran away from the hospital and hospital staff raised the alarm. The hospital authorities took the issue with district administration and he was later traced and put under quarantine.
Police today registered First Information Report (FIR) against a person for indulging in rumour mongering and spreading false information on social media.
Authorities today traced all the three Ph.D. scholars who had earlier fled from Aligrah Muslim University (AMU) amid quarantine period without informing the administration.
All the three scholars have been traced and shifted to Health Centers for examination.
A letter issued by the medical authorities at Aligrah Muslim University (AMU) stated that three scholars two from North and one from South Kashmir have fled the isolation wards without informing the medical practitioners or authorities there.
The authorities traced them in their native villages from north and south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr GN Itoo said that the two scholars have been traced and have been shifted to Kreeri hospital for preliminary examination. He said the duo will be brought to district hospital Baramulla today for further medical examination.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora directed the Police to book a person for circulating fake news regarding COVID-19 thus creating scare among the people. Accordingly the Bandipora Police booked the person in FIR No 15/2020 U/S 505, 507,121-A IPC at Police Station Bandipora.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora has appealed the people not to pay heed to rumors and not to circulate fake and unverified information on social media.
Meanwhile, the district administration today sealed hotel Regenta located at Rajbagh area of Srinagar for violating closure orders.
The district administration Baramulla has ordered that will be a complete lockdown for shops and other business establishments from today till further orders. “Only medical shops will remain open. For any emergency, permission shall be obtained in advance”, the order read.
The District Magistrate today said that the persons refusing to comply with the rules and regulation will be dealt with seriously.
And 16 people have been kept under observation in Handwara here in North Kashmir following a woman from the town with acute infection was admitted at SKIMS.
A woman from Beeripora Handwara, was found symptomatic and has been admitted at SKIMS a couple of days ago.
Block Medical Officer Handwara, Dr Abdul Majid said they have quarantined 16 people in ITI Handwara who have possibly come in contact with the woman who is admitted in SKMIS.
All these 16 people, both male and female hail from Nathnusa and Beeripora of Handwara are under observation. The samples have been collected and the tests are awaited.
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