Essential services hit as Admn closes pumps, says will reopen today
38 FIRs lodged, many people allege harassment
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 26: In a major decision, the Central Government today announced it will directly monitor all 700 districts across the country including 22 in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh by making the Central Ministers Incharge of different districts to take daily feedback from the Magistrates and other senior functionaries of State/UT Governments on lockdown and Coronavirus situation and take measures required to tackle the pandemic.
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As lockdown continued for fourth consecutive day today in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the administration in Jammu district this morning closed down petrol pumps, which have been declared as essential service by the Central as well as UT Governments, badly hitting the supply of essential commodities as load carriers went off the roads and people visiting hospitals and other emergency services had to stay back.
Late tonight, however, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sanjeev Verma told the Excelsior that issue pertaining to petrol pumps in Jammu district has been resolved and they will reopen tomorrow.
“There was some issue pertaining to staff of petrol pumps which has been sorted out and they will resume operations tomorrow,” Verma said.
Earlier in the day, the supplies of essential commodities in Jammu district were badly hit as the district administration closed down all petrol pumps forcing load carriers and trucks, transporting the essentials, to go off the roads. Even the people who had to go to hospitals and purchase essential commodities like vegetables, groceries etc, were forced to stay indoors due to non-availability of petrol and diesel.
People strongly denounced the decision of Jammu district administration for closing down petrol pumps notwithstanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu had categorical directed the administration to ensure that people don’t suffer for want of essential commodities.
The administration’s order was in contravention to the directions of the Central as well as UT Governments. The petrol pumps across all other districts of Jammu region remained open as per the Centre and UT directions and there was no violation whatsoever excepting Jammu.
Sources pointed out that even Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department had issued list of 16 Essential Services ahead of lockdown in which petrol/diesel pumps had been listed as one of the essential services.
Moreover, they pointed out, the people had voluntarily started staying in their houses now and only those supplying or going to purchase essential commodities are being seen on the road. Still, some people rang up Excelsior and said police continued to harass them.
People who were going to purchase ration items, vegetables etc or visiting hospitals are being harassed at several nakas.
They said police should act against those only who are unnecessarily appearing on the roads and allow others who are going to purchase essentials items, which were also the guidelines of Centre and State Governments.
Meanwhile, all Central Ministers have been made ‘Mentor Incharge’ of different districts by the Government of India and assigned the task of regularly monitoring situation in their districts of jurisdiction, suggest measures to check Coronavirus pandemic, direct the District Magistrates and other senior functionaries on more steps required to be taken to tackle situation arising out of pandemic and address the issues by taking up them with the Centre and State Governments.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the decision will go a long way in helping district administration tackle situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown as the district administration will be able to project their requirements to tackle with Coronavirus and requirements in view of lockdown especially shortage of essential commodities, if any.
The Central Government has also issued detailed guidelines for the Central Ministers and the district administration to ensure that the people don’t face any major problems in view of 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight the virus.
“The first process of individual calls by the Central Ministers to the Deputy Commissioners was initiated today itself i.e. within minutes after the order issued by the Government of India. The first report was also submitted by the Ministers to the Government pertaining to districts allotted to them,” sources said, adding the Ministers will submit daily reports to the Centre, which will take steps required to fight pandemic as well as minimize public sufferings based on the reports.
The Ministers, according to sources, will be `Mentor Incharge’ of the districts and facilitate working of the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs directly from the Centre.
Law, Justice and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan have been made Incharge of all districts in Bihar while Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda will be Incharge of all districts of Chhatisgarh .
Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kour Badal will be Incharge of J&K’s neighbouring State of Himachal Pradesh.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh has been made Incharge of 20 districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and two districts of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Rao Inderjeet Singh will be Incharge of all districts of Punjab and Haryana States respectively while Central Ministers Prahlad Joshi and Narender Singh Tomar will be Incharge of all districts of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh respectively.
Government sources today confirmed that `Mentor Incharge’ Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories, Dr Jitendra Singh today spoke to all Deputy Commissioners of the UTs on Coronavirus situation and lockdown.
At Lakhanpur, the rush of residents of J&K returning to their home towns from different States following nationwide lockdown was very less today as compared to last three days but total people who have been kept in Kathua district for quarantine stood around 1300.
Reports said that influx of people heading homes in Jammu and Kashmir from the States like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, New Delhi, Rajasthan etc, came down today considerably today as compared to last three days but all those reaching Lakhanpur are being sent to different quarantine centres.
Authorities have restricted movement of vehicles on the National Highways with trucks/load carriers transporting essential services only allowed to move. On other major roads also, the vehicles of essential commodities are permitted to move while all kind of other traffic has been disallowed.
Meanwhile, police today registered 38 FIRs and seized 547 vehicles and shops across teh UT against the people violating restrictions.
Sir FIRS were registered in North Kashmir, four in Central Kashmir, two in South Kashmir, 22 in Jammu-Samba-Kathua Zone, one in Udhampur-Reasi range and three in Reasi-Poonch zone.
Authorities today decided that instead of GMC Jammu, CD and Psychiatric Hospitals of Jammu will be made COVID-19 Hospitals.
Patients of Psychiatric Hospital have been accommodated inOrthopedic Ward No. 1 of GMC Jammu while those of CD Hospital have been lodged in Super Speciality Hospital.
Meanwhile, both the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh observed complete lockdown for fourth consecutive day today with all inter-State and other public transport services excepting those carrying essential services remaining off the roads and all shops and business establishments barring those dealing with grocery, vegetables, medicines etc, shut.
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