629 violators fined, 14 FIRs registered, 13 arrested: Police
Srinagar: Strict restrictions remained imposed on Sunday as part of 84-hour-long ‘COVID curfew’ that is scheduled to end on Monday morning in Kashmir valley, where fresh Coronavirus cases and death continued to rise unabated.
The lockdown has been extended till May 6 in four districts – Srinagar, Baramulla and Budgam and Srinagar. The decision to extend the lockdown in these areas was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha yesterday.
The extension in the lockdown in these districts has come in the backdrop of unabated rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Kashmir, particularly the summer capital, Srinagar, which has recorded the major chunk of positive cases during the last about a fortnight.
The administration had imposed corona lockdown from 7 pm from Thursday and till 7 am on Monday in Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Badgam, Kulgam, Pulwama and Ganderbal in Kashmir valley. The lockdown was later extended to the remaining three Kashmir districts — including Kupwara, Bandipora in north and Shopian in south — from Friday evening till Monday morning. However, essential services were exempted from the lockdown.
Streets continued to wore a deserted look as shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the road in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley, where security forces have closed the majority of the roads with barbed wires and barricades to stop the movement of people.
However, shops selling vegetables, milk and fruits were open as they have been exempted from the lockdown. The administration has allowed grocery shops, milk and dairy product shops, fruit and vegetable mandi, bakery and meat shops to function between 1000 hrs and 1800 hrs even during the lockdown. Chemist shops, LPG/petrol pumps, ATM, media, FCI, e-Commerce, construction activities, COVID-19 vaccination, inter-state movement are also allowed during the lockdown.
All the roads and market places, including Lal Chowk remained sealed with authorities seeking cooperation from the public to curtail the spread of COVID-19 by strictly adhering to the lockdown. Shops and businesses established were closed while all the roads were deserted as traffic and people were off the roads in downtown, civil lines, uptown in Srinagar.
An official said the Corona curfew at night shall continue in all Municipal / urban local body limits of all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. “Night curfew will be in force from 2000 hrs to 0700 hrs the next day”.
He said restrictions on assembly of more than five people under section 144 CrPc and other guidelines, including rotational system of opening of shops and public transport plying with only 50 per cent occupancy, will continue in the remaining seven districts in Kashmir, where curfew will be lifted on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said police has enhanced the efforts to implement the Covid-19 guidelines/SOPs/restrictions strictly throughout the valley.
“During last 24hrs, Police has arrested 13 persons, lodged 14 FIRs and also realized fine to the tune of ₹77,131/- from 629 people for violating the guidelines/rules throughout Kashmir valley. Besides, 12 vehicles were also seized for violating guidelines/restrictions,” he said.
The special drive against the violators of Covid-19 guidelines/rules continued throughout all the districts of Valley to ensure that people adhere to SOPs/ guidelines envisaged by government to curb COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
