SRINAGAR: With additional 835 cases of Covid-19 – 555 in Kashmir alone, detected in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities are almost getting into a fast forward mode to break the chain. While Jammu has literally banned all the fairs and exhibitions, the administration in Srinagar has made Covid-19 testing mandatory for the tourists.
Official sources said that 349 Covid-19 cases were detected in Srinagar alone. The city is now having 2027 positive cases. The only death that was reported in the last 24 hours has taken place in Kashmir taking the overall Covid-19 toll to 1274 in Kashmir. The overall number of deaths due to pandemic across Jammu and Kashmir stands at 2019.
The Tulip garden in Srinagar continues to be drawing huge crowds even as the authorities are in sort of a panic mode. The Boulevard road reported massive traffic jams on Thursday as huge crowds were on their way to the garden where the high-decibel 2-days festival was declared over, a day earlier.
In wake of the fast spread, the civil authorities in Jammu have imposed section 144 to prevent the gatherings in the larger interest of human life. I, Anshul Garg, the District Magistrate, has promulgated section 144 of CrPC read with relevant provisions under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to cancel “all the permissions issued for holding exhibitions and fairs”. No new permissions are being issued in the coming days.
In Kashmir, the civil authorities have ordered that all incoming travellers using the Jammu Srinagar national highway will have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing at Lower Munda (Kulgam). This was the outcome of the Covid-19 review meeting that Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mohammed Aijaz Asad, presided over at TRC Srinagar.
Besides, the district administration has ordered mass vaccination of hotel staff, drivers, houseboat staff and others concerned with the tourism sector. Testing is also going on at the Srinagar airport.
The meeting also decided that a special Covid-19 related training programme shall be conducted for the staff members involved with the hospitality sector so that SOPs are strictly followed.
The meeting was attended by various hospitality sector stakeholders from across Kashmir’s key health resorts and picnic spots.
