Pulwama : Invoking prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, Disaster Management Act,and The Epidemic Disease act, District Magistrate Pulwama said there would be no inward and outward movement of any person from the villages declared red zones and the people would stay at their homes to ensure complete lockdown.
In this regard District Magistrate today issued order in which villages Khaigam, Sangerwani, Abhama of Tehsil Rajpora and Gudoora, Chandgam, Pinglena and Parigam of Tehsil Pulwama fall in red zone category and adjoining villages of these Tehsils have been declared as buffer zones in interest of safety and well being of general public.One person hailing from District attended the religious congregation at Gudura have tested positive for COVID-19 has moved to various villages including his native village Khaigam, quoting an order issued by District Magistrate.”The area has become more vulnerable as far as further transmission of the COVID-19 virus is concerned. It is necessary to break further transmission of the disease in the area and it becomes imperative to take stringent precautionary measures like declaring concerned villages as red zones and other villages of tehsil Pulwama and Tehsil Rajpora as a buffer zone,” said the Officials .The order reads that there would be no vehicular movement on the Pulwama-Chakoora ,Newa – Parigam and Pulwama – Keller road.DM directed the officials concerned to ensure supply of essential commodities as per laid down protocols in the villages covering both local residents and outside labourers, and warned of stern action against anyone who try to violate the orders. (KNS)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Party President and Member of Parliament from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday released an additional amount of RS 1.5 Cr to Srinagar based hospitals. The amount is to be equally distributed to SMHS hospital, CD Hospital, and GB Pant Hospital in Srinagar.

A statement issued to KNS reads Dr Farooq had earlier released an amount of Rs 1.5 Cr of which RS 50 lakh was earmarked for SKIMS and 25 lakh each was earmarked for Budgam, and Ganderbal hospitals along with Rs 25 Lakh later each to Kangan and Beerwah hospitals.

Party president while expressing grief on the loss of two precious lives in J&K due to Corona virus said, “Circumstances have put up a massive challenge before us. At present we are reeling under unprecedented circumstances, which require unprecedented response not just from government but from the people as well. I urge the people not to make light of the advisories issued by the government. At present times we all have to play our role to help combat the pandemic. It is a matter of life and death and countering it is our collective duty.”

He further added, “People on their part should refrain from spreading misinformation, and strongly abide by the COVID-19 prevention directives. Also the government too has to rise to the emergency by attuning the whole administration to the emergency demands of the people. The government’s response has to multipronged on one hand it has to face the situation medically and on the other look after the people who live by hand to mouth. As far as our party is concerned we are with the people in our collective fight against the COVID-19 threat. I salute the endurance of all frontline workers including doctors, para medical staff and others fighting the spread of covid 19 in J&K.”

Meanwhile party’s additional Spokesperson Sara Hayat Shah has urged the government to ensure that people don’t have to suffer from absence of essential commodities from markets. “The situation is different from anything which we have experiment in our life time. Informing people about the pandemic is challenging and difficult. However the effective use of mass media, social media can prove a great help. More to the point the misinformation making rounds on social media should be curbed in order to avoid any panicky during these trying times. The situation demands a community based response which will go a long way in helping the different government agencies in tackling the threat posed by covid 19.” It reads (KNS)

BY: Raja Akber

Srinagar: Amid Corona lockdown, handwara Police has come forward to help the needy families in mawer Qalamabad.

Police has been at the forefront in extending help to the people with poor financial background. According to KNS Correspondent, SDPO handwara Tariq mehmood alongwith SHO Qalamabad sheikh javid Sunday provided foodgrains and other eatable items Atleast 12 families who had run short of money and requested for help.

In its special drive to reach out the needy people distributed food & other items in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Shopian districts and in PD Sopore and Handwara.

In Srinagar, police distributes food items to the destitute families at Zakura, Pantha-Chowk, Nehru Park, Shaheed Gunj and Rainawari areas amid COVID-19 lockdown. Police teams from local police units reached to the needy people especially non-local residents and distributed essentials among them.

In Bandipora, Police team from Police Station Sumbal reached out to people affected by the lockdown and provided them food and other items as a part of initiatives for the poor, whose livelihoods have been hit due to the lockdown.

In Ganderbal Police launched a drive to reach out the needy people and distributed food items among the needy people.

In Shopian, Police distributed essential food items to daily based labourers and whose families have been hit hard due to nationwide lockdown.

In Sopore Police distributed essentials to the destitute families in Sopore areas besides guiding public to maintain distance at grocery stores and Medical shops.

Similarly, Handwara Police from Qalamabad and Langate Police unit distributed food and eatable items among the needy people.

Apart from these drives, people were made aware to take precautions to fight back Coronavirus Pandemic, besides sought their co-operation and obedience to the guidelines as provided by government and not to come out of homes unless there is an emergency. (KNS)

Srinagar: The J&K Labour Department has set up helplines for migrant labourers who arrived here before the lockdown was announced, according to officials, here on Sunday.

The J&K Information Department tweeted: “The Labour Department sets up 24X7 helpline numbers for migrant labourers who arrived in J&K prior to the lockdown announced in view of #COVID19. S Shafi (8899546373) & Ansar Ahmad (7006286174) for the Kashmir division, and Shivika Sharma (9149691329) & SP Singh (7051986422) for the Jammu division.

However, the migrant labourers’ plight needs more than just setting up the helpline.

On Saturday, a couple from outside J&K was thrown out by the landlord in the Kulgam district. The houseowner said he had no option but to tell the couple to vacate because of the pressure from neighbours who threatened saying the couple carried the coronavirus to the Valley.

“I have been treating the woman as my daughter and would never tell them to vacate. But what can I do? I am an old man”, he said.

The couple was thrown out despite that they carried a government hospital’s diagnostic sheet that said the couple had been screened and were free of any coronavirus symptoms.

The police is believed to have intervened to provide shelter and food to the couple who reportedly lived in the bathroom of an abandoned bus stand without food for two days.

There are scores of such labourers who could face the prospect of being thrown out of rented accommodations, provided by contractors and brick kiln owners to employ them in their businesses.

It would be unethical to remove them to isolation/quarantine centres on the pretext that they would be provided food and shelter there. They need to be housed in makeshift accommodations and then screened or tested in a systematic manner.

Washing hands by just herding them into an isolation/quarantine centres would be unethical since most women among these have children too.

Given the scenario, the Labour Department has a Herculean task ahead since the number of such migrants runs into hundreds.