The administration in Kashmir on Tuesday ordered the closure of hotels, restaurants, community kitchens and banned home delivery of food in Srinagar as part of additional steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
While educational institutions are already closed, the institutions and their heads have been asked to submit proposals for televised coaching or classes.
The slew of measures under Disaster Management Act 2005 was listed by Srinagar’s Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who is also chairman of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), for the containment of coronavirus.
“No restaurants, food courts, food joints, street food kiosks, roadside eateries, community kitchens, home delivery of food services etc shall operate in the district Srinagar,” Choudhary said in the order.
On Monday, the administration had closed all parks and gardens in Srinagar as precautionary measures. Schools, colleges and universities of the union territory were closed last week in view of the coronavirus threat.
The DDMA chairman has now asked the heads of the educational institutions or heads of departments to devise and submit proposals for televised coaching or classes by March 20, “which shall be supported /financed by the district administration Srinagar”.
Schools in Kashmir had opened on February 24 after winter vacations in the valley where students had stayed away from classes for over six months since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5 last year.
The administration’s latest order also barred conferences, workshops, rallies, gatherings and sit-in protests till March 31.
Tour operators and travel agencies have been asked to share details their entire bookings of national as well as international air travel. On Monday, they were asked to share details of all residents traveling outside India and now planning to return to Srinagar through their agencies.
It also said that all suspected cases of coronavirus and those under surveillance will be tracked.
“GIS mapping of all cases including suspects under surveillance quarantined and isolated, tested positive or negative, shall be maintained in DDMA control room on a daily basis,” it said.
The markets have not been closed yet. “The movement in regular markets or closure of such markets has not been ordered yet. However, in efforts to augment the efforts of various organizations to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, the trade and business organizations shall initiate steps required to avoid overcrowding at such locations,” the order said.
“In case of any violation of the above directions, action as warranted under rules, including section 51 of the Disaster Management Act 2008, section 188 IPC, essential commodities act 1955 and rules thereof shall be taken initiated,” it said.
While Jammu has reported three positive cases of coronavirus so far, none has been reported from Kashmir yet.
Almost 2500 people including travelers and people who were in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance while as 2095 persons are under home quarantine in the union territory.
Across Jammu and Kashmir, 29 people are now quarantined in hospitals and 178 people are under home surveillance. A total of 176 people have completed their 28-day surveillance period so far.
