Security forces deployed in strength
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 20: District Magistrate Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has ordered imposition of strict restrictions across Srinagar district tomorrow to prevent spread of Coronavirus even as authorities had imposed partial restrictions across Kashmir today.
The order issued this evening stated that no kind of public movement or activity will be allowed anywhere in the district adding that only Government officials of essential services departments with valid identity cards will be allowed to move.
“Concerned agencies have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of restrictions across the district”, the order said.
The order issued under Section 144 of CrPC stated that the decision to impose restrictions has been taken as a preventive measure and is aimed at preventing spread of the coronavirus infection.
The DM has appealed to the general public to cooperate with the administration and ensure strict adherence to the order. He said violation of the order would constitute criminal offence and attract strict penal action.
And Kashmir continued to be under lockdown for the second day today as authorities imposed restrictions across all districts to contain the spread of Coronavirus infection across the Valley, which has recorded single positive case so far.
Restrictions on the movement and assembly of people have been imposed across all districts of the Valley as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.
Security forces were deployed in strength and barricades, including concertina wire, have been put at several places in the city here and other places to enforce the restrictions and restrict the movement of the public.
Only Government and essential services employees with valid identity cards, media-persons, and emergency cases were allowed to move. However, late in the afternoon private vehicles were allowed to move.
Police used vehicles fitted with public address systems to announce the restrictions in the morning and asked the people to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.
Shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments were shut today in most parts of the valley, while public transport has also been suspended. In some areas, police forced shopkeepers to shut their shops.
The train services on the Banihal-Srinagar-Baramulla axis remained shut after reports of overcrowding of the trains which was making screening of the passengers difficult.
Educational institutions across Kashmir have already been closed, while all public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants have been shut down. The teachers have already been asked to stay at home.
The measures have been taken after a 67-year-old woman from Khanyar area of the city, who had returned on 16 March from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, tested positive for COVID-19 infection.
As the infected person was not placed under any quarantine or isolation upon her return, the authorities had to seal off the entire neighbourhood of Khanyar falling within 300-metre radius of the affected patient’s residence.
Several relatives of the infected woman who had primary contact with her have been advised to undergo test while others, who might have had secondary contact with the patient, have been asked to undergo self-isolation for two weeks.
Two close relatives, including husband, of the only Coronavirus positive case in Kashmir have tested negative for the deadly disease, Senior Superintendent of Police Imtiaz Ismail Parray said today.
“Want to update the well wishers again: 2 family members including father in law tested negative. Mother in law recovering very well by the grace of God. Thank u (sic) all for prayers n support. But we are following the due protocol,” Parray tweeted.
The SSP has himself been put under home quarantine after his mother-in-law tested positive for Coronavirus on Wednesday night. Parray’s mother-in-law, who hails from Khanyar area of the Srinagar
city, became the first positive case of Coronavirus in the valley. She had met several dozen persons following her return on Monday from Saudi Arabia where she had gone to perform Umrah.
Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu today said 12 squads with 60 team members have been pressed into service for mechanized and specialized sterilization of those neighborhoods where individuals with travel history to COVID affected countries might have had exposure.
“Have passed orders for mechanized, specialized sterilization (as we did in Khayam Khanyar yesterday) of those neighborhoods where individuals with travel history might have had exposure. 12 squads – 60 team members – pressed into service for this,” the Mayor said.
Mattu said hundreds of the teams from Srinagar Municipal Corporation continued to remain deployed around the city for sterilizing mosques, public venues, markets, lanes, by-lanes and all vulnerable locations.
And Friday prayers were either shortened or not offered in Mosques across Kashmir to avoid large gatherings. While Friday congregational prayers were offered at several mosques, including the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of the city here, many others decided not to hold any gatherings at all.
However, in the Mosques where the prayers were offered, the duration of the congregational prayers was shortened and the gatherings were small.
Two prominent organisations – All Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association and Jamiat Ahlihadees – had decided to put on hold the mandatory Friday prayers across Jammu and Kashmir in wake of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
“All Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association has decided not to hold any public gatherings/ majalis and Friday congregational prayers until further notification,” its president Imran Reza Ansari said.
There were no prayers at several Imambaras in Shia-dominated areas of the Union territory.
The Jamiat Ahlihadees has put Friday prayers put on hold in Jammu and Kashmir till March 31 in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision, the Jamiat spokesman said, was taken according to the teachings and principals of Islam.
And 45 students who arrived at Srinagar Airport today from Bangladesh were sent to 2 weeks quarantine. They were taken to IMPA on MA Road in Srinagar where they have been kept in mandatory isolation.
Parents of the students who arrived from Bangladesh and were put under quarantine have expressed their anguish over the decision of administration to quarantine these students. They appealed that the
authorities should allow these children to go home as they were properly screened at Delhi and Kolkotta Airports before allowing them to proceed to Srinagar.
Their colleges have been closed only till 31.3.2020 and if they remain under quarantine for two weeks, they can’t even meet their parents. The parents have appealed to authorities that the students can be
quarantined even in their homes under proper surveillance of health department.
They also alleged that there are no proper arrangements in the places where they are quarantined. They said that some of the students have fallen ill due to colder night temperatures where there are no proper heating arrangements.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today demanded that 4G internet facilities should be restored in Kashmir to fight the health crisis triggered by Coronavirus. “In view of this global health crisis (Coronavirus) that has spread to the valley, 4G internet facility should be immediately restored,” the Hurriyat said in a statement.
Mirwaiz expressed concern over the alarming situation arising out of coronavirus across the world and appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to strictly follow the preventive measures and guidelines as suggested by medical experts and concerned agencies, so that precious human lives are saved and the deadly disease is prevented from spreading further.
Hurriyat Conference said the authorities should impose a ban on entry of non-locals and foreign tourists to Kashmir immediately in view of COVID-19 outbreak. “Given the widespread negative impact of the corona virus, authorities must impose an immediate ban on the entry of non-locals and foreign tourists to Kashmir,” it added.
Regional Passport Officer, Srinagar today informed that the passport counter will remain closed till March 31 in wake of Coronavirus threat.
As per the officials, due to COVID-19 and advisory and requests from Central Government and local administration, the appointments booked at the Passport office Srinagar for passport applications and other miscellaneous services by the applicants are rescheduled and postponed until further orders from this office.
“In case of any exigency with regard to the passport application, the general public is advised to call on 2500375 and 250017, an official said.
And amid coronavirus scare Municipal Council Anantnag today sealed five restaurants for violating the norms.
Five hotels were found to be functional during the inspection of the Municipal Council team headed by its President. The step has beentaken as a precautionary measure to prevent a huge gathering of people.
Five restaurants have been sealed named as Delhi Darbar K. P. Road, Maraaz Restaurant old KMD Adda, Mir Restaurant Janglat Mandi, and two other restaurants at District Hospital and Maternity & Child Care Hospital Anantnag.
The officials said that these restaurants were found functional in violation of an order issued by District Magistrate Anantnag under section 144 of CrPC in the district.
Meanwhile, with the spread of COVID-19 infection, the SKIMS has decided to stop all elective surgeries and procedures with immediate effect.
Also the Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, while not halting the elective procedures, has decided to separate the OPD associated with the respiratory ailments.
Medical Superintendent, SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan told Excelsior that as per the directions issued by the Union Health Ministry the decision of halting the elective procedures has been taken. “It has been advised that the elective surgeries and procedures shall be stopped forthwith,” he said.
A circular issued here from the office of the Medical Superintendent, SKIMS in this regard stated that the emergency surgeries will continue.
“…emergency surgeries, semi-emergency, surgeries cancer surgeries, and lifesaving interventional procedures will continue. Cancer-related day care, chemo, radiation therapy and diagnostic services which are unavoidable will continue,” the circular read.
Meanwhile, the GMC Srinagar has decided to segregate the OPDs amid the spread of the infection.
“The OPDs will continue as per routine. However, it has been decided that the OPD relegated to the respiratory ailments will be segregated,” an official at the GMC told Excelsior.
11 spaces identified as quarantine facilities
Irfan Tramboo
Amid the outbreak of deadly coronavirus infection, the government has augmented the quarantine facilities meant for the travelers reaching Srinagar by identifying a few more premises for the same.
As per the orders issued here-the copies of which are lying with Excelsior-the district administration Srinagar has identified 11 more such premises which will be used as quarantine facilities in Srinagar.
There were already few spaces in place, and the number has reached to around 20.
The spaces include several few spacious educational institutions in the city outskirts as well as some private hospitals-that will be used to quarantine the passengers.
These spaces have been acquired by virtue of four orders that have been issued by the District Magistrate who is also the Chairman of District Disaster Management Authority.
The concerned Tehsildars of the areas where the identified spaces are situated have been directed to take over the premises and provide all the facilities as per the Standard Operating Procedures.
The Tehsildars will be accompanied by the concerned SHO of the area for necessary security, while as the Director Health Kashmir has also been also directed to depute medical teams to the identified locations.
It is to be mentioned here that the over last two days the passengers who reached Srinagar airport from Leh have been quarantined, while as the students reaching from Bangladesh have also been put in the quarantine facilities.
The District Magistrate Srinagar has also ordered that all the passengers reaching Srinagar from Leh will be quarantined without any relaxation.
Moreover, at present, the facilities that have been identified as quarantine spaces, around 10-12 persons have been put up in one large room, with the complaints of places being unhygienic also flowing in.
The students who came from Bangladesh and have been put in the quarantine facilities near the Srinagar airport have also complained about the ill-facilities provided to them.
While, as per the SOP, one person has to be put in one room-when quarantined, the opposite of the same is happening with regard to the quarantine facilities available with the Srinagar administration.
A doctor, on the condition of anonymity told Excelsior that the government should rope-in the hotels in Kashmir in order to provide better quarantine facilities to the people who arrive here.
“The hotels are empty and the Government can use the facilities by roping them in; ideally one person has to be put in one single room so that the precautionary measures are undertaken firmly,” he said.
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