Jammu: Normal life remained crippled on second day of lockdown on Thursday in the winter capital as even petrol pumps were shut, newspapers stands almost empty while labourers and workers returned to their homes.
The District Administration Jammu ordered immediate shutdown of filling stations across the district. However, the petrol pump owners expressed displeasure over the decision, asserting that they were not aware of it and not taken into confidence.
District Magistrate Jammu Sushma Chauhan, facing continuous queries from media and civil society, on social media stated, “first priority is to give passes to Health professionals, followed by pharma and perishable industry.”
“Pumps will open later. So no need to worry. Things will stabilise in 3-4 days,” she said. Petrol pumps were among in the list of essential commodities announced by the government.
Newspapers did not hit the stands as many readers have asked hawkers not to deliver their copy in fear of spread of coronavirus.
Many small newspapers have shut their offices as staff was facing hardships in reaching to the offices while those printed, remained piled up at the General Bus Stand.
“Firstly due to Corona Virus threat, circulation of newspapers has come down and secondly, the vendors, hawkers dealing exclusively in newspaper distribution, are facing hardships in the hands of police and security personnel deployed at various locations,” said a hawker.
Hundreds of people from districts like Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Reasi, working as labourers or helpers at many shops, houses, brick kilns, factories, have started leaving Jammu for their homes as most of the commercial establishments are closed following 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They assembled in large at General Bus Stand here and after registering themselves in police diary being maintained on regular basis, have been ferried in the buses of State Road Transport Corporation to their native places.
“I am working as a labourer in a bakery here at Bhagwati Nagar but the owner shut it two days back,” Jeevan Lal of Kishtwar said.
“We are facing problem of food, water and shelter and hence decided to return home till the crisis settles down,” he added.
Jammu Police stamps lockdown violators
Meanwhile, Jammu Police have found a unique way to identify and prevent lockdown violators by stamping “Corona lockdown violator” on their arms.
A senior official here on Thursday said that generally people give lame excuses like moving out once in a day or have an urgent work and barring few, most of these are unwanted movements.
“To prevent these movements, anybody found outside without any urgent task, will be inked—Corona lockdown Violator: R S Pura Police, ” he stated.
The officer said that if the same person is caught again, he will be taken into custody and booked under relevant sections as it is an offence.
“Once inked, the stamp will not fade away for two months even if anybody makes attempts,” he said and appealed to cooperate and adhere to the guidelines issued by the government.
“All measures are being taken in the interest of the people. Nobody is being harrassed and we are trying our best to make people to stay indoors,” he said adding that police personnel is performing their duty by staying outside their homes and away from families by putting their lives risk and in return, all is expected that people stay home and safe to break the Coronavirus chain.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir police initiated ‘We Care’ exercise to reach out to people with essential goods at their doorsteps and circulating audio clips to aware people on COVID-19.
