Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 8: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has been working tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID- 19 and at the same time to minimize the impact of lockdown on the most vulnerable people.
The people are cooperating with the administration by staying in their homes- the most effective measure to break the chain of transmission of the disease.
Apart, at the same time Government and the local administration is also taking all care to maintain the quarantine centres well, where a huge number of people are being housed on arriving from outside Jammu and Kashmir.
The SOP for bringing stranded people back to home has been planned and permitted with strict protocol of 14 days quarantine to be catered by respective district administrations.
The Kathua district, being the entry point of the UT, has bigger challenge of accommodating more number of people in quarantine camps established in its different parts so to contain the spread. The greatest challenge in these centres is the task of maintaining good hygiene and clean environment for the inmates, who are in huge numbers and are staying with their limited clothing.
To lessen their woes, the district administration came up with an innovative idea of deploying a ‘Mobile Laundary- a dedicated vehicle equipped with washing machines for providing free washing of clothes to the inmates at their respective quarantine centres on turn by turn basis.
The idea was to enable inmates to stay with clean clothes, bed sheets, blankets and pillow covers, maintain good personal hygiene and also feel relieved of the work of washing their belongings during their stay in administrative quarantine.
The idea worked and the twin-washing machine laden truck of Public Works Department is acting as a unique Mobile Laundary and became one of its own kind of facility for the quarantine centre inmates. The facility has so far washed over 5000 clothing by way of stopping at every quarantine centre daily.
The team deputed for the task of washing is taking full precautions by wearing masks, resorting to self sanitization and maintaining safe distancing all the time.
The step is one of the key measures taken by district administration to ensure proper care of the inmates besides making provision of safe drinking water, food, medicines, toiletries and security.
“The facility has reduced the stress of inmates to a great extent as they watch the process of washing clothes and bedding being done by ‘Mobile Laundary within the premises of the centre. This surely gives them good feel of cleanliness,” Deputy Commissioner Kathua O.P Bhagat said.
The innovative idea can help other districts too for providing relief to the inmates and lessening their woes during their quarantine stay.
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