COVID-19: No social distancing outside banks in Kashmir

We will take necessary measures, says J&K Bank chairman
Babbu Khan
SRINAGAR, May 18: Violating social distancing norms, long queues are seen outside banks in Kashmir, posing a serious threat of coronavirus spread.
Government has asked people to maintain social distance to contain spread of COVID-19.
However, as per the news agency KINS, the ground situation at many places in Kashmir especially in and outside banks is far from satisfactory as people continue to flout social distancing norms.
An official in one of the JK Bank branches in Pulwama district said everyone is always in a rush to get inside the bank.
“The beneficiaries of Jan Dhan also visit the banks unnecessary to withdraw the payment of Rs 500 which Centre has announced. They could withdraw this amount through ATMs still they visit banks,” the official said.
The news agency KINS has pictures available where long queues could be seen outside various banks in parts of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. These people could be seen standing close to each other instead following social distancing guidelines.
“I have come to open my account. I know we are posing a threat by not maintaining social distance. But hardly anyone in Barmulla especially in Uri is adhering social distance norms,” Fayaz Ahmad, a local resident of Baramulla said, who was standing in a long queue outside a bank in Uri.
An old woman who too was waiting in the queue, without identifying herself, said, “I am a senior citizen. I have come for my pension, but made to stand for over two hours now.”
Meanwhile, J&K Bank Chairman RK Chibber said they have appealed people to maintain social distance. “But there are still many who are not maintaining social distance. We are working on it and will take necessary measures,” Chibber told news agency KINS.
Social distancing is a public health strategy attempting to prevent or slow the spread of infectious novel coronavirus. It includes any method to keep people physically separate from each other because physical proximity is how many pathogens go from one body to another.