JAMMU: The government today constituted various coordination teams to ensure movement of essential goods and services besides to address difficulties arising out of prohibitory measures announced to tackle the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

According to the order issued by GAD, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo shall be the overall In-charge of UT coordination–Covid-19 response effort while as Mission Director National Health Mission, Bhupinder Kumar shall be In-charge Apex Health Control Room.

Commissioner Secretary PHE and I&FC, Ajeet Kumar Sahu and Project Director Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Arun Kumar Manhas shall look after issues regarding management of inter-state borders and transit of  passengers/ supply management, the order reads.

It also said that Secretary Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Simrandeep Singh holding additional charge of Administrative Secretary FCS&CA shall overall look after coordination of essential supplies and logistic chains.

While as coordination of issues related to students, patients and other residents of J&K affected by lockdown and currently in different parts of the country shall be looked after by Principal Resident Commissioner, J&K Government, New Delhi, Dheeraj Gupta and Additional Resident Commissioner and ex-officio Secretary Resident Commission J&K Government, New Delhi, Niraj Kumar.

The order mentions that Commissioner Secretary Labour and Employment shall coordinate labour issues including problems of wage-labourers of J&K currently under lockdown in other parts of the country.

Overall coordination at divisional level including quarantine facilities and all other administrative arrangements shall be looked after by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma assisted by Managing Director Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Yasha Mudgul and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P. K. Pole assisted by Managing Director Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Mohammad Aijaz and Chief Executive Officer JAKEDA, Owais Ahmed.

Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi and Director Industries and Commerce, Jammu, Anoo Malhotra shall oversee industrial production efforts—maintaining production supply chains and coordination efforts.

The coordination of all media and information efforts shall be looked after by Principal Secretary Information Department, Rohit Kansal and Director Information, J&K, Dr. Sehrish Asgar, the order added.

SRINAGAR: Distribution of foodgrains in six sub-zones of Srinagar which started March 28 has been completed and is now moving to other sub-zones of the district.

In these six sub-zones over 25 thousands households were home-delivered foodgrains — which includes 13500 quintals of rice and 675 quintals of wheat.

From tomorrow until April 2 the distribution of foodgrains will be made in sixteen other sub-zones of the district.

These sixteen sub-zones where distribution will be made amongst consumers located there include Amirakadal, Kanikadal, Nawabazar, Batamaloo, Barzulla, Chatabal, Nishat, Shalimar, Natipora, Nowshera, Soura, Amidakadal, Rainawari, Safakadal, Bulbul Lankar and Narwara.

The entire 2.6 lac households of the district located across a total of 34 sub-zones is targeted to be completed within two weeks.

Besides foodgrains the administration is also distributing LPG refills amongst residents across the district.

So far since March 28 when distribution was started over 15 thousand households in various areas of the district have been home-delivered LPG refills.

The distribution will continue for around two weeks until all of around 3.3 lac LPG consumer base of the district is covered.

It is notable that residents of Srinagar are being provided both food grains and LPG refills at their doorsteps in view of restrictions on public movement put in place in the district in an effort to contain spread of the coronavirus infection.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the district administration has devised a comprehensive plan to ensure each of over 2.6 lakh households gets its quota of foodgrains and LPG without having to move out of their homes.

He urged residents to stay home whilst they must and be rest assured that both foodgrains and LPG will be delivered to them at their doorsteps. For those without ration cards he said dedicated helplines – with 9018249426 or 8825010324 contact numbers – have been opened for such households to place their demands for foodgrains.

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) today released a song to generate awareness among masses on the deadly virus.

The song is written by poet, Muzafar Hussain Dilber and sung by noted Sikara fame singer, Munir Ahmad Mir.

The first song, ‘Traw Nerun Te Pherun Watan Baya’ on deadly virus covers the wide-range aspects of genesis of deadly coronavirus and the havoc created by it across the globe.

On releasing the song, the Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), Muneer-Ul-Islam said that artists across the globe have been encouraging people to combat coronavirus though various mediums of art. He said society as a whole have to play their roles in their respective areas and see how one must respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said that as the coronavirus disease continues to evolve, in Jammu and Kashmir is taking a proactive approach to help ensure the safety of the people. He said that there is a greater need to generate awareness among people, locally in their own language and melody—which will help us achieve the goal of fighting this deadly virus. He said besides this government was closely monitoring the situation and provide updates as they become available.

The Secretary said that JKAACL was also aiming to get the ‘songs in plague’ written and composed in other languages too. “We will be soon releasing a song on coronavirus awareness in dogri language,” he said.

Music composer and noted Singer, Munir Ahmad Mir, who also works at in the Cultural Wing of Department of Information and Public Relations said that that due to the lockdown, every activity is shut and people back home need some entertainment and infotainment.

“We as artists wanted raise coronavirus awareness through songs and JKAACL is always there to handhold us,” he said. “In these times of crisis too, JKAACL honored the artists and made us to do our bit to make some difference on the ground,” he added.

Another music composer, Prof Muzafar Bhat said that he along with his friends is running an online platform, namely, Kashur Studio. He said that ever since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, they have been working on the tracks in their respective homes and sharing them with artists. “We have released awareness songs. We will be soon releasing more songs to general public,” he said.

Prof Bhat said that music is often called the universal language. Artists have to finding that, when trying to spread lifesaving information about the coronavirus pandemic, it helps to have a catchy beat.

“Musicians will be recording songs about social distancing, spotting symptoms and, of course, washing hands. It’s all part of an effort to get vital information about disease prevention to people who might not get it otherwise,” Bhat said.

Pulwama: Under the reeling COVID-19 pandemic, the hiding of travel history and contact history with the COVID-19 positive cases has further endangered the lives of people.

In this regard District Magistrate, Pulwama, has issued final warning to the people not disclosing their travel history or contact history with any COVID-19 positive case.

DM emphasized that any departure from disclosing travel history will be dealt as per relevant laws and district police would initiate immediate action against such people. He added that no case of self reporting or voluntary disclosure of self reporting will be entertained after 8.pm of March 30.

The District Magistrate has been appealing people to shun irrational fear associated with disclosing their travel or the contact history with any COVID-19 positive person and cooperate with the authorities by self reporting of either histories.

He urged the persons with any travel history to self report at  established    COVID-19 control room, on contact number 01933-240412 and  01933-240912, set up in CMO office .

Moreover, such persons can also contact Help Desk set up at CMO Office, Pulwama , Dr. Nuzhat on 7006130677and UZMA BASHIR on 9419297323.

Similarly people can also contact  Help Desk established at PHC  Awantipora, Dr Jaweed Mehmood on  9906785983 and Gh Hassan Magray on 8803948011 or can directly report  https://pulwama.gov.in/notice/voluntary-report-of-travel-history/ uptill 8:00 pm today.

The authorities have reiterated that  concealment  of travel history or circumvention of screening would  coerce  the authorities to invoke relevant sections of IPC and stringent action shall be initiated under  section 269 IPC( unlawfully or negligently doing something which is likely to spread infection of any dangerous disease to life), section 270 IPC ( malignant act likely to spread infection of dangerous disease to life), section 271 IPC (knowingly disobeying any quarantine rule) and section 188 IPC ( for disobeying any Government order). (GNS)

Srinagar: Srinagar Municipal Corporation Monday launched a sterilization drive in Mehjoor Nagar area of Srinagar city following reports that people there are not following Government Directives and from past couple of days didn’t maintain social distancing.

The sterilization and sanitization process was launched on the request of local Corporator Muhammad Saleem and it was supervised by Muhammad Shaban of Ward 31B.

The team went house to house and carried sterilization work. They sterilized the roads, premises and rooms as well.

From past couple of days, reports are surfacing that majority of people in Mehjoor Nagar are violating Prohibitory Orders and are not staying at homes. The area is at risk and thus we not only asked people to stay indoors but also sterilized the vast area of Mehjoor Nagar,” Corporater, Muhammad Saleem told KNT.