Srinagar, Apr 8: Roads and markets remained deserted as restrictions on movement and assembly of people have been further intensified in view of an upward spiral in Coronavirus cases in Kashmir valley, where normal life was crippled for the 20th successive day on Wednesday.
More areas have been declared as ‘Red Zones’ to prevent spread of COVID-19 in the valley, where people are voluntarily staying indoors with the number of infected cases mounting to 125 in J&K. A 54-year-old man on Tuesday died of Coronavirus in the valley, taking the total number of death toll due to the infection to three.
Official sources told UNI that restrictions on movement and assembly of people has been tightened across Kashmir valley on the 20th successive day of lockdown. “Out of 125 positive cases, 94 are in Kashmir and 24 are in Jammu,” they said.
They said that following the lockdown due to COVID-19, FCS&CA department has home delivered 56133 Mts rice, 2700 Mts wheat to 14 lakh ration card holders in Kashmir. “More 14636 Mts would to be delivered in coming days,” they said, adding that Kashmir is receiving regular supplies of medicines and that there is no shortage in the region.
They said authorities have launched an aggressive contact tracing campaign to put all such persons under quarantine after taking their samples as per health protocol. Many areas, including densely populated localities, including Chattabal, Eidgah and Jawahar Nagar, and other parts of the valley were declared as ‘Red Zones’ during the last 24 hours after several positive cases were reported from these area. Over 25 areas, which were already declared as ‘Red Zones’, remained sealed and no one was allowed in and out of these areas.
Shops and business establishments remained closed while streets were deserted as locals voluntarily remained indoors due to scare following upward spiral in Coronavirus cases in the valley.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the sealing of these areas is aimed at preventing spread of the coronavirus infection out of this area having reported several positive cases. He said it is also aimed at enabling smooth conduct of the survey in the area being a declared containment zone as ordered by the government.
Police vehicles fitted with public address system were directing people since early this morning to remain indoors in view of imposition of restrictions under 144 CrPc, barring assembly of more than three people.
The administration also asked people to cooperate with it and warned of action against those violating prohibitory orders. Police has so far sealed many shops, hotels and educational institutes and arrested about 400 persons from Srinagar, Sopore, Handwara, Ganderbal and Anantnag in the valley since March 31. Police is using drones in some areas in Srinagar to announce restrictions on the movement of people as part of the 21-day lockdown to combat coronavirus pandemic.
All educations institutes, including schools, colleges and universities, remained closed in the valley, where train services and public transport were suspended. However, despite government asserting that arrangements would be made for online classes for children no such arrangement has been made so far even as high speed internet service remained suspended since August 5, when special status of J&K was scrapped.
The streets in uptown and civil lines were deserted as shops and business establishment were closed and traffic was off the roads. Security forces were deployed in these areas, where people alleged that security personnel were not allowing them to move out of their houses. Similar situation was witnessed in downtown, where people also alleged that they were not allowed to move out of their houses even to buy groceries and vegetables.
The main roads in downtown and SeK remained closed with barbed wires at Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Kawdara and Khanyar. Similar road blocks remained erected by security forces at Nowhatta, Rangar stop and Gojwara.
Similar reports of lockdown were received from other parts of the valley, including Kupwara and Baramulla in north, Budagm and Ganderbal in central and Anantnag, Pulwama Kulgam in south Kashmir.UNI
DISCLAIMER :- THIS STORY HAS NOT BEEN EDITED BY KASHMIR AGE STAFF AND IS AUTO-GENERATED FROM NEWS AGENCY FEEDS.
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