Panchayat level mapping, data capturing for tracking positivity rate
Schools permitted to call limited staff
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 18: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered reopening of Universities, Colleges and Skill Development Centres after July 31 subject to vaccination status of students and staff and personal attendance of limited staff for administrative purposes by public and private educational institutions.
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The Government has also empowered the Deputy Commissioners to allow opening of shops from 6 am instead of 7 am on July 19 and 20 as per their assessment in view of Eid celebrations.
These were among the guidelines issued today by State Executive Committee (SEC) Chairperson-cum-Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Dr Arun Kumar Mehta.
“Higher educational institutions (which include Universities and Colleges) and Skill Development Centres may be considered for phased reopening for Onsite learning after July 31 subject to vaccination status of students and staff,” the SEC order said.
It added that the public and private educational institutions have been permitted to seek personal attendance of limited vaccinated staff for administrative purposes.
It may be mentioned here that all private and Government educational institutions have been closed till July 31.
Private and Government schools are expected to stay closed even after July 31 as the SEC order only stated that higher educational institutions and Skill Development Centres may be considered for phased reopening after July 31.
The SEC has asked the Managing Director National Health Mission (NHM) to take up Panchayat level mapping and data capturing for tracking positivity rates on weekly basis in all Panchayats.
“All Deputy Commissioners will focus on positivity rates of the Medical blocks under their jurisdictions. Intensified measures related to COVID management and restriction of activities will be taken up by the Deputy Commissioners in these blocks,” the order read.
It called upon all Deputy Commissioners to keep active track of positivity rate in these blocks and consider implementing stricter control measures in closed clustered spaces like public/private offices, community halls, Malls, bazaars etc in case weekly positivity rate goes beyond four percent.
“Protocol of Testing, Tracking and Treating besides vaccination needs to be strengthened in these blocks. The proportion of RT-PCR tests in the total mix should be scaled up, on best effort basis, to 70 percent of more excluding travelers,” the Government said and directed the Director Health to ensure adequate availability of COVID dedicated health and logistics, infrastructure based on their assessment of the case trajectory.
“While significant improvement has been made by some districts in respect of various parameters including total weekly new cases, positivity rate, bed occupancy, case fatality rate, vaccination coverage of targeted population and extent of compliance to COVID Appropriate Behaviour, there is need for further improvement in the interest of public health in all districts.
“besides, some districts need intense efforts to reach desired levels. It has also been seen that the daily cases in the past few days have shown an uneven trend. As such, there is need to continue with existing COVID containment measures in these districts,” the SEC order said.
The SEC ordered that COVID containment guidelines and instructions issued on July 11 will remain in force till further orders.
Sixteen districts where relaxations were extended on July 11 include Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Ramban and Udhampur, all in Jammu region and Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian in Kashmir division.
In all these 16 districts, there will be no weekend curfew but night curfew will remain in force from 8 pm to 7 am.
Restaurants and bars will, however, remain open in these districts till 10 pm at 50 percent of the total capacity only for the customers who are vaccinated or are carrying RTPCR negative report.
Outdoor shops will close at 7 pm.
On July 11, the SEC had also permitted opening of Gyms along with Indoor Sports Complexes in 16 districts with 50 percent of total capacity for vaccinated persons and COVID negative report holders. The Swimming Pools were, however, kept shut while paid public parks were kept open for vaccinated people.
In rest of four districts including Doda and Reasi in Jammu region, weekend curfew will continue from 8 pm Friday to 7 am Monday and daily night curfew from 8 pm to 7 am. All outdoor shops and bazaars will open five days in a week except Saturday and Sunday in these districts.
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