With coronavirus cases dipping across the Union Territory, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has started easing restrictions in a phased manner. The UT administration on Sunday lifted the weekend curfew in 16 out of 20 districts with three more districts getting the relaxation.
Relaxation for three more districts announced in the meeting of the high-powered committee to review the COVID situation in all the districts of J&K. These sixteen districts are Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian.
Educational institutions to remain closed till July 31
Despite announcing relaxations in 16 districts, the administration has extended the closure of all educational institutions in the Union Territory till 31 July due to the COVID situation.
"All universities, colleges, technical/skill development institutions in Jammu and Kashmir shall remain closed for imparting on-campus/in-person education to the students till 31.07.2021, except for the courses/programs that require the physical presence of students on account of laboratory/ research/ thesis work and internship, etc. Teaching in all these institutions will be in online mode," the order said.
Here are the latest guidelines of the Jammu and Kashmir government
- Restaurants and bars can open for in-dining at 50 percent capacity, only for vaccinated and COVID-19 customers, from 7 am to 10 pm.
- Indoor complexes and gyms will also be permitted to open at 50 percent capacity. Swimming pools, however, will continue to remain closed.
- All outdoor shops have been permitted to open on all days, only from 7 am till 7 pm. The market associations will have to fully cooperate with the local administration in ensuring strict compliance to the COVID appropriate behavior.
- All shops in the indoor shopping complexes/malls can open, only from 7 am till 7 pm, only for the consumers who are vaccinated or for customers with negative RT-PCR or RAT reports of 48 hours prior. The shop owners/managers/staff will have to ensure compliance to it the District Magistrates shall strictly enforce this measure," the order said.
- In the other four districts, a weekend curfew from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am and a daily night curfew will remain in place.
COVID cases in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir reported 224 COVID-positive cases even as one person succumbed to the virus during the last 24 hours. 74 of the fresh infections were reported from the Jammu division and 150 from Kashmir Valley, taking the overall case tally to 3,18,693. Regarding the fatality, one death was reported from Kashmir Valley, taking total the death toll in the UT to 4,357.
