Restrictions further tightened as COVID-19 positive cases swell in Kashmir

Posted on March 31, 2020 By Asian Mail Latest News, Regional, Top Stories, Twin Cities

Srinagar, Mar 31:

Restrictions were on Tuesday further tightened even as locals are voluntarily staying indoors in view of the scare following upward spiral in positive Coronavirus cases during the last few days in Kashmir valley, where life remained crippled for the 13th successive day due to lockdown.

Six more persons, including a 10-year-old boy, were on Tuesday tested positive for Coronavirus in Kashmir valley, taking the total number of infected people to 55 in J&K.

Following the spike in the positive cases, several areas in J&K were declared red zones due to which people would not be allowed in or out of these areas to prevent spread of coronavirus.

Asserting that several areas in J&K were declared as red zones purely in the interest of controlling the spread of coronavirus, Union Territory spokesperson Rohit Kansal said aggressive contact tracing of positive cases is key to combat the infection.

This, he said is purely in the interest of controlling spread of Coronavirus, and helping identification of contacts on real time basis.

Official sources told UNI that strict restrictions on movement and assembly of people continued for the 13th successive day across Kashmir valley.

Shops and business establishments remained closed while streets were deserted as locals and traffic were off the roads in the valley, where police vehicles fitted with public address system were directing people since early this morning to remain indoors in view of imposition of restrictions under 144 CrPC, barring assembly of more than three people.

However, some shops, particularly vegetables sellers, were open in the early hours in the city though people were keeping in mind ‘social distancing’. Circles were drawn outside some shops in the city and shopkeepers were asking people to use them in order to maintain a safe distance.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that the city is now more determined than ever to combat coronavirus as lockdown, self-reporting, sanitisation and contact tracing are getting effective.
Asserting that there are hundreds of officials, volunteers, NGOs and others with amazing spirit working round the clock in different ways, he said ‘all people need to do for recognising their efforts is to stay at home to win the battle’.

Meanwhile, continuing its action against violators of government order, police have sealed many shops, hotels and educational institutes and arrested about 200 persons from Srinagar, Sopore, Handwara, Ganderbal and Anantnag in the valley during last one week. Over 100 vehicles have also been seized by police since Tuesday.
Police are using drones in some areas in Srinagar to announce restrictions on the movement of people as part of the 21-day lockdown to combat coronavirus pandemic.

Authorities have also warned that strict action will be taken against people who violate lockdown order and move on the highway without proper permission in the valley, where all educations institutes, including schools, colleges and universities, remained closed while train services and public transport also were suspended. However, despite government asserting that arrangements would be made for online classes for children no such arrangement has been made so far even as high speed internet service remained suspended since August 5, when special status of J&K was scrapped.

The streets in uptown and civil lines were deserted as shops and business establishment were closed and traffic was off the roads. Security forces were deployed in these areas, where people alleged that security personnel were not allowing them to move out of their houses. Similar situation was witnessed in downtown, where people also alleged that they were not allowed to move out of their houses even to buy groceries and vegetables.

Similar reports of lockdown were received from other parts of the valley, including Kupwara and Baramulla in north, Budagm and Ganderbal in central and Anantnag, Pulwama Kulgam in south Kashmir.
UNI