SRINAGAR: Over one thousand violations of COVID-19 preventive guidelines and SOPs have been reported in the last five days since August 17 when restrictions on public activities were lifted in Srinagar.

Most of the people moving around in markets are without masks and that can mean a fine. Covid-19 has already killed more than 600 residents of Jammu and Kashmir, mostly in Kashmir. Authorities want to use of masks by everybody who comes out of the home. KL Image by Bilal Bahadur

Half of these include violations of face mask guidelines while the remaining half include those of the Standard Operating Procedures or SOPs and advice for shops and public transport.

During the last four days since August 18 a fine of around 2 lac rupees was imposed on some 800 violators. It is notable that strict action has been ordered against violations of COVID-19 preventive guidelines in Srinagar.

This scenario surrounding violations of COVID-19 preventive guidelines remains rather same as before despite a sharp spike in positive cases reported during the month-long unlock period prior to the reimposition of restrictions on August 1.

It is notable that during the past two months a fine of over 7 lac rupees was imposed on several thousand violators in the district. Most of it was imposed on violators of face mask guidelines.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has urged the general public to follow all precautions and notified SOPs aimed at reducing the spread and avoiding contraction of COVID-19 disease.

He said that in the absence of a vaccine or cure the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease that it leads to remains a dangerous infection and relevant precautions and preventions must be taken at all times to contain its spread.

Dr Shahid said the fight against the COVID-19 disease can only be fought collectively with everyone’s active efforts adding that it cannot be contained without the support of the people to the efforts of the administration. He said it is everyone’s fight and everyone must take part in it.

He said the lifting of restrictions calls for more caution adding that harsher measures and stricter punishments will be taken against violators in view of the situation surrounding COVID-19 in the district.

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