*Directs DCs to work out modalities
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 22: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan today said that Government is considering to start doorstep ration distribution amid situation arising due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In this regard, the Advisor directed all the Deputy Commissioners to work out a plan for doorstep distribution of ration and other essential commodities to the consumers so that long queues and large gatherings at ration depots would be avoided.
All the DCs have been directed to send their plan within three days to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir for further course of necessary action.
The Advisor also directed DCs to increase the number of quarantine rooms with requisite facilities in their respective districts and ensure the availability of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, in case of exigency.
The meeting was informed that daily surveillance of Respiratory Tract Infection cases in ten districts is going on, Rapid Response Teams (RRT) are in place in every district, samples are being collected and data analysed, besides cluster cases are being investigated.
The meeting was informed about the stocks position of masks, Personal Protective Equipment, VTMs and other equipment besides functioning of 24×7 district control rooms. Overall situation is under control and health institutions are ready to combat any exigency, the concerned officials informed the meeting.
The Advisor asked DCs to classify their respective districts into zones and address their issues on priority basis. Also impart training to Police and employees of district administration on how to tackle the COVID-19 infected or suspected person, he said.
He stressed the SMC and ULB employees to ensure sanitation and fumigation drive across the valley.
The Advisor said that all DCs should involve Panchs, Sarpanchs, Urban Local Bodies employees and Tehsildars in the process of identifying the people who have recently arrived from outside the valley and have not been screened.
People were also asked to inform the administration in case they know any foreign traveller who has recently arrived from abroad in their neighbourhood, family, friend and social circle, in the larger interest of public. People can inform control rooms immediately and their identity and contact number will be kept secret.
On the occasion, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar directed district SSPs that if any person wasn’t abiding the rules or indulging in rumour mongering-the said person should be immediately arrested under relevant sections of law.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary informed that district administration had identified 3800 rooms in 64 hotels with three star and other requisite facilities.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; Director SKIMS, Prof. A G Ahangar; Additional Commissioner Kashmir Bilal Ahmad Bhat;
Principal GMC, Srinagar, Dr. Samia Rashid; Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Samir Mattoo; SSP Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal; Director, ULB, Kashmir, Reyaz Ahmad Wani; Director, FCS&CA, Bashir Ahmad Khan; Director Tourism, Nisar Ahmad Wani; Commissioner SMC, Gazanffar Hussain; RTO Kashmir, Ikramullah Tak; Joint Director Information, Kashmir, Harris Ahmad Handoo; SSP Traffic, SP Traffic (Rural), Assistant Commissioner (central) Aziz Ahmad Rather and other concerned officers were present in the meeting whereas other Deputy Commissioners participated the meeting through video conferencing.
Meanwhile, Baseer Ahmad Khan visited Srinagar Airport to review the preparedness of the Divisional Administration to tackle the spread of COVID-19.
After reaching the Airport terminal, the Advisor was passed through Health Screening desk where doctors tested him properly.
Khan emphasized upon the concerned officers that same testing exercise should be carried for VIPs and bureaucrats as is being practiced in case of all other arriving travellers and nobody should be allowed to skip from health screening besides making mandatory for every passenger to fill self-declaration form before leaving the help desks.
The Advisor reviewed the arrangements which are put in place for screening the passengers arriving daily at Srinagar airport. He was informed that five Coronavirus help desks have been established at Srinagar Airport with adequate number of doctors, paramedical staff, Infra-red thermometers, personal protection gears, special ambulances and other equipment.
Khan inspected all Coronavirus help desks and enquired about the staff strength, equipment, advisory notes, self-declaration forms and other measures. He directed the concerned that if any passenger having symptoms of Coronavirus is detected he or she should be immediately sent to quarantine and the desks should share details with higher authorities on real time basis.
Later, the Advisor visited city quarantine centers and inspected the rooms which have been reserved for administrative quarantine for suspected COVID-19 patients, especially people being brought back from Coronavirus-hit countries.
The Advisor directed the officials that all suspected cases should complete the quarantine period fully and their results should come negative twice and only after that they should be allowed to leave the facility. He also directed the officials not to share names of the quarantined people to the media, citing privacy.
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