With the number of coronavirus cases rising around the world, Kashmir also witnessed a major jump in Covid-19 positive cases over the last two days due to which many new areas have now been designated as red and buffer zones.
Seeking support of people in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary on Thursday, 9 April, said that Srinagar district has been divided into 25 zones and there will be around 5000 government officials deployed across the district for resolving the "day to day" issues of people.
800 people hide their travel history
Chaudhary made a fervent appeal to the people to stick to the lockdown stating that some 800 people didn't disclose their travel history and if they would don't so, perhaps the situation would have been better at this juncture.
Addressing a press conference here, the DC Srinagar said that that as per the plan framed by the government, Srinagar district has been divided into 25 zones from Friday onwards, there would be 5000 government officials on the ground to address the issues people are confronted with in their respective areas.
There are 12 red zones in the Ganderbal and Bandipora districts including Waskura, SK Bala, Parray Mohalla Hajin, Batagund Hajin and Chandergeer Hajin, Kunon, Gundikesar, Gundi Dachina, Madwan, Hakbara, Pethkot, Gund Jehangeer and Naidkhai.
In Shopian district of South Kashmir, three zones have been kept in the red category including Sedow, Ramnagri, Sindo Sharmal and Bemnipora.
In central Kashmir's Budgam district there are four red zones including Wathoora, Kandajan, Charar-e-Shareef and Soibugh. In Baramulla district of North Kashmir, Sulinda, Tangmarg and Uri have been categorised as zed zones.
To the south in Pulwama district, there are seven red zones including Khaigam, Rajpora, Sangerwani, Abhama, Gudoora, Pinglena, Chandgam and Parigam.
Besides this, places in Kashmir designated as buffer zones include Ahan, Kharbagh, Batwina, Chewa, Ajas and Chandergeer.
11 municipal wards are buffer zones
All the 11 municipal wards of MC Hajin have also been categorised as buffer zones. 148 places across the valley are buffer zone areas which have been turned into red zones.
"Let me tell you that some 800 people who had travel history of outside J&K didn't come forward and instead preferred to hide their travel history. But with our robust contact tracing, all of them have been traced one by one," said Chaudhary as per the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). "Had they come forward earlier, perhaps the situation would not have been same at we are in today. One positive COVID case can affect upto 100 person and then there becomes a chain."
He also added that given the fact Srinagar is a congested city, the administration has declared 14 red zones. "All the entry points in these areas have been sealed barring a few which are meant to facilitate employees on essential duty and to ensure supply of essentials," the DC Srinagar said.
Free food provided
The DC said that more than 11000 non-local labourers who are in Kashmir are being provided with the free food etc. "We have life-saving drugs for five to six weeks in Kashmir and almost every alternate day, special aircraft lands in Srinagar with lifesaving and other drugs," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, SSP Srinagar Dr Haseeb Mughal urged people to cooperate with the policemen who are deployed round the clock on roads and streets of Srinagar just for the safety of people. "This time, it's not a fight against militancy or that the police force is not dealing with any law and order issue," he said.
"This lockdown is totally different from the previous ones but people here follow the same old habit of coming out of their homes in the evening in large numbers when deployment is thinned down." He also urged people not to hide their travel history. "It's a social issue and we have to collectively deal with it, "Dr Haseeb said—(KNO)
On Thursday, 24 COVID positive cases were reported in Kashmir taking the total cases in Jammu & Kashmir to 184 including 32 in Jammu and 152 in the Kashmir valley. There have been four deaths across J&K due to COVID-19, three in Kashmir and one in Jammu.
(To be updated further)
