Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s Labour Commissioner Adur Rashid War on Sunday issued an advisory advocating that there should be “no termination or reduction in salary” of any employee who go on leave in the wake of fast spreading pandemic—Covid 19.

In a circular issued here, a copy of which lies with the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the advisory reads that as the world is facing a catastrophic situation due to the outbreak of Covid-19, and in order to combat his challenge, coordinated and joint efforts of all sections of the society are required.

“In view of the above, there may be incidence that employees/workers are not able to attend to their duties or the employer have no work to be done and therefore may be in process to dispense with the services of these employees, or the employees/workers may be forced to go on leave without wages/salaries in absence of work,” the advisory reads, adding that the termination of employees from the job or reduction in their wages in this scenario would further deepen the crisis and will not only weaken the financial condition of employees but also hamper the morale to combat their fight with this pandemic.

As per KNO, the advisory further reads that in the backdrop of such a challenging situation, all the employers, of Public/private shops, establishments, industrial establishments, factories, mines projects and contractors etc in the UT shall extend their cooperation by not terminating their employee’s particular casual or contractual workers from job or reduce their wages. “If any worker takes leave, he shall be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages for this period,” the advisory reads—(KNO)

BY: Aatif Qayoom

Srinagar: A 65-year old lady of Khanyar, Srinagar who had been tested COVID-19 positive, is recuperating well, said Director SKIMS. He also said besides lady, hospital received eighteen more suspects who tested negative and are going through protocol.

Dr A G Ahanger, Director SKIMS said the lady from Khanyar area who had a travel history and was infected from Corona Virus, is recuperating.

He said besides elderly lady, more 18 suspects were admitted in the hospital whose reports came negative.

“After following proper protocol meant for investigating COVID-19 suspects, 18 person who are admitted in the hospital have been tested negative”, Dr Ahanger said.

The news about 65-year old lady who came from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, went viral and several elements passed unnecessary comments and alleged her of taking VIP shield and breaching governments protocol.

Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam Tariq Hussain Ganie told KNS that it is impossible to skip screening at Airport and allegations in this regard are absurd and baseless.

He said the lady along with other passengers was properly screened when she arrived at Srinagar International Airport but after some days she was admitted in SKIMS were she tested positive.

“How come we keep a suspect into quarantine when he or she has no symptoms of COVID-19”, DC said.

DC clarified that there is no question of breaching protocol at Airport.

“We have deputed professional medical teams there who are keenly screening passengers. All allegations in this regard are absurd and baseless”, he said.

Meanwhile several walks of life have expressed disappointment over alleging baseless comments and appealed people in general to fight together against the growing threat of COVID-19.

Srinagar: To ensure that all the possible available means with the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) are utilized properly to defeat the spread of Covid-19, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chander Murmu is keeping all the officers both from administration and the health department on toes and is seeking minute by minute updates.

Reliable sources in the Rajbhavan Jammu revealed that LG Murmu is in touch with all the concerned officials including Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu regions and also with the Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Jammu through video conferencing. “He is seeking minute by minute updates, progress on works assigned, facilities for quarantine and screening of patients in both Kashmir and Jammu region from the officials concerned,” an official privy to the development disclosed.

The LG Murmu has kept all the officials on toes in both regions of the UT and is keen to ensure that whatever best the UT administration can do to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, is done in the best possible way. “Every hour, fresh directions are passed by the LG Murmu to Kashmir and Jammu officials while as advisor Baseer Ahmed Khan who was deputed to Kashmir Sunday has been directed to utilize every service available to fight the Coronavirus,” the official said.

At present, LG Murmu is in touch with the officials on phone and also through video conference. “Every evening, he chairs a brief meeting of officials through video conferencing facility to know the details and progress about measures taken on ground zero,” he said.

Sources said that on the directions of the LG, Advisor Baseer Ahmad Khan Sunday visited Srinagar Airport to review the arrangements.

On Sunday, on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “Janata Curfew” was observed across India including J&K. However, curbs also remained in places in Srinagar and elsewhere to ensure curfew remains enforced. Pertinently, in Kashmir, there is only one positive case of Covid-19, who had a history of travel to Saudi Arabia even as official figures suggest that over 4000 are under surveillance at various places across J&K.(KINS)

Srinagar: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Baseer Ahmad Khan on Sunday visited Srinagar Airport and emphasised upon the concerned officers that same testing exercise should be carried for VIPs and bureaucrats as is being practiced in case of all other arriving travelers.

After reaching the Airport terminal, the Advisor was passed through Health Screening desk where doctors tested him properly.

Mr Khan emphasised upon the concerned officers that same testing exercise should be carried for VIPs and bureaucrats as is being practiced in case of all other arriving travellers and nobody should be allowed to skip from health screening besides making mandatory for every passenger to fill self-declaration form before leaving the help desks.

The Advisor reviewed the arrangements which are put in place for screening the passengers arriving daily at Srinagar airport. He was informed that five Coronavirus help desks have been established at Srinagar Airport with adequate number of doctors, paramedical staff, Infra-red thermometers, personal protection gears, special ambulances and other equipment.

Mr Khan inspected all Coronavirus help desks and enquired about the staff strength, equipment, advisory notes, self-declaration forms and other measures. He directed the concerned that if any passenger having symptoms of Coronavirus is detected he or she should be immediately sent to quarantine and the desks should share details with higher authorities on real time basis.

Later, the Advisor visited city quarantine centers and inspected the rooms which have been reserved for administrative quarantine for suspected COVID-19 patients, especially people being brought back from Coronavirus-hit countries.

The Advisor was informed that all the required quarantine facilities like rest and recuperation have been established. Administrative arrangements like identification of buildings, perimeter security, food and water supply, bed and linen, laundry, housekeeping, entertainment, sewage disposal, transportation has been organised at the centers.

Further, Medical support like daily examination, laboratory testing, advice on disinfection and bio-medical waste management, public health measures, management of symptomatic patients, surveillance, creation and referral to isolation wards at nearest hospital has been organised by Health Departments in liaison with District administrations.

The Advisor directed the officials that all suspected cases should complete the quarantine period fully and their results should come negative twice and only after that they should be allowed to leave the facility.

He also directed the officials not to share names of the quarantined people to the media, citing privacy.

Mr Khan directed the officials not to take any chances and follow the guidelines with utmost care besides asking the quarantined people to cooperate with the administration which is vital for their well-being and their family.

SRINAGAR: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan today said that Government is considering to start doorstep ration distribution amid situation arising due to COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, the Advisor directed all the Deputy Commissioners to work out a plan for doorstep distribution of ration and other essential commodities to the consumers so that long queues and large gatherings at ration depots would be avoided. All the DCs have been directed to send their plan within three days to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir for further course of necessary action. The Advisor also directed DCs to increase the number of quarantine rooms with requisite facilities in their respective districts and ensure the availability of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, in case of exigency.

The meeting was informed that daily surveillance of Respiratory Tract Infection cases in ten districts is  going on, Rapid Response Teams (RRT) are in place in every district, samples are being collected and  data analysed, besides cluster cases are being investigated.

The meeting was informed about the stocks position of masks, Personal Protective Equipment, VTMs and other equipment besides functioning of 24×7 district control rooms. Overall situation is under control and Health institutions are ready to combat any exigency, the concerned officials informed the meeting.

The Advisor asked DCs to classify their respective districts into zones and address their issues on priority basis. Also impart training to Police and employees of district administration on how to tackle the COVID-19 infected or suspected person, he said.

He stressed the SMC and ULB employees to ensure sanitation and fumigation drive across the valley.

The Advisor said that all DCs should involve Panchs, Sarpanchs, Urban Local Bodies employees and Tehsildars in the process of identifying the  people who have recently arrived from outside the valley and have not been screened.

People were also asked to inform the administration in case they know any foreign traveller who has recently arrived from abroad in their neighbourhood, family, friend and social circle, in the larger interest of public. People can inform control rooms immediately and their identity and contact number will be kept secret.

The Advisor reiterated that all departments should work in convergence for creating awareness in community about the disease and the precautions to be taken.

He directed the officials to put in their best efforts to prevent the spread of the virus and asked them to intensify efforts to find anyone who might have come in contact with the suspected cases. He said that proper guidelines need to be followed while dealing with the evolving corona virus situation.

He exhorted upon officers to work jointly and address the COVID-19 problem in a dynamic manner.

On the occasion, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar directed district SSPs that if any person wasn’t abiding the rules or indulging in rumour mongering—the said person should be immediately arrested under relevant sections of law.

Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary informed that district administration had identified 3800 rooms in 64 hotels with three star and other requisite facilities.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; Director SKIMS, Prof. A G Ahangar; Additional Commissioner Kashmir Bilal Ahmad Bhat;

Principal GMC, Srinagar, Dr. Samia Rashid; Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Samir Mattoo; SSP Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal; Director, ULB, Kashmir, Reyaz Ahmad Wani; Director, FCS&CA, Bashir Ahmad Khan; Director Tourism, Nisar Ahmad Wani; Commissioner SMC, Gazanffar Hussain; RTO Kashmir, Ikramullah Tak; Joint Director Information, Kashmir, Harris Ahmad Handoo; SSP Traffic, SP Traffic (Rural), Assistant Commissioner (central) Aziz Ahmad Rather and other concerned officers were present in the meeting whereas other Deputy Commissioners participated the meeting through video conferencing.

JAMMU: The Government today informed that 3938 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance and, so far, only four cases have tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus (COVID-19) 2727 persons have been kept under home quarantine while as 59 are in hospital quarantine.

Persons who are under home surveillance stand at 690 while as 462 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period.

The Bulletin further said that 240 samples have been sent for testing of which 229 tested as negative and only four cases have tested positive so far, while as seven reports are awaited till March 22, 2020.

Meanwhile, a 24×7 toll free national helpline number 1075 has been activated for support, guidance, and response to health related queries on novel coronavirus disease. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has also set up helpline numbers in this regard: 0191-2549676 (UT level Cell for J&K), 0191-2520982, 0191-2674444, 0191-2674115 (For Jammu Division), 0194-2440283 and 0194-2430581 (For Kashmir Division).

According to government advisory, in view of increased incidence of Novel Coronavirus cases across the world and some parts of the country, large number of students and travellers are returning to their homes. “Hence, travellers and parents of such students are requested to advice their wards to give correct travel history in self-declaration formats that are being provided to them at designated Help Desk Counters when they arrive in the UT by Air / Rail or Road to safeguard their own health, their families and public in large,” the Advisory reads.

The Government has appealed those travellers who have arrived from Covid-19 affected countries/ areas and have not declared their travel history so far, to report to local health authorities / Covid-19 helpline No.s and undergo self-imposed home quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival. The government appealed the public in general to bring such cases in notice of the authorities, so that necessary measures in the interest of public health can be taken by the Government.

The government has also urged public to implement Social Distancing measures as it is the Key to stop and prevent the spread of Covid-19 from those who are infected to those who are not infected. The intervention includes remaining out of crowded settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.

Further, the Government has appealed people to not panic and take care of health and protect others.

“Public in general is therefore advised to avoid un-necessary travel & use of public transport; avoid crowded places and large gatherings, do not spit in public. People must take basic precautions for personal hygiene; frequent hand washing with soap & water; and observing coughing & sneezing etiquettes,” the Government advisory added.

The advisory also calls upon the general public to strictly follow the advisories issued by the Government from time to time and rely only on the information released by the government in this regard through the daily media bulletin to print and electronic media. Furthermore, people are advised to refrain from spreading rumours and pay no heed to them at the same time.