Govt warns criminal action against those hiding travel history

SRINAGAR: Amid mounting threat of COVID-19 pandemic, further accentuating with people concealing their travel history and contact history with the positive cases, the government on Monday gave a final warning to residents across the UT to reveal their travel history or face the criminal proceedings, even as it constituted various coordination teams to ensure movement of essential goods and services besides to address difficulties arising out of prohibitory measures announced to tackle the spread of the pandemic.
While Udhampur district had issued a similar warning on Saturday, at least five more district across the UT warned people of criminal proceeding in case they hide their travel history as soon as one day.
The government asserted that people are hiding their travel history.
“Contact tracing teams are reporting that despite so many appeals, people are still hiding travel histories. This is criminal. Please note- an entire society is being put at risk," government spokesman Rohit Kansal said.
It warned such persons of penal action that can result in imprisonment unless they come forward voluntarily with their foreign travel history.
While authorities have sent out teams to trace those locals who might have hidden their travel history and managed to join their families, the doctors fear that such persons could cause community transmission of the virus.
On Monday, district administrations in Shopian, Pulwama, Bandipora, Kulgam and Kishtwar issued a final warning to the people who are hiding their travel history and asked them to report it failing which strict action will be taken against them.
“All such persons who still have not reported their travel histories are given one last opportunity to report their travel histories within a period of one day failing which penal action as warranted under Disaster Management Act, Epidemic Disease Act and Indian Penal Code shall be initiated against all such persons which include imprisonment and fine,” said DC Shopian Mohammad Yasin Choudhary.
A similar warning was issued by DC Pulwama, saying any departure from disclosing travel history will be dealt as per relevant laws and district police would initiate immediate action against such people.
“No case of self reporting or voluntary disclosure of self reporting will be entertained after 8.00 pm of March 30,” he said.
The authorities have reiterated time and again that concealment of travel history or circumvention of screening would coerce the authorities to invoke relevant sections of IPC and stringent action shall be initiated under section 269 IPC( unlawfully or negligently doing something which is likely to spread infection of any dangerous disease to life), section 270 IPC ( malignant act likely to spread infection of dangerous disease to life), section 271 IPC (knowingly disobeying any quarantine rule) and section 188 IPC ( for disobeying any Government order).
Meanwhile, the government today constituted various coordination teams to ensure movement of essential goods and services besides to address difficulties arising out of prohibitory measures.
According to the order issued by GAD, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo shall be the overall In-charge of UT coordination--Covid-19 response effort while as Mission Director National Health Mission, Bhupinder Kumar shall be In-charge Apex Health Control Room.
Commissioner Secretary PHE and I&FC, Ajeet Kumar Sahu and Project Director Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Arun Kumar Manhas shall look after issues regarding management of inter-state borders and transit of passengers/ supply management, the order reads.
It also said that Secretary Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Simrandeep Singh holding additional charge of Administrative Secretary FCS&CA shall overall look after coordination of essential supplies and logistic chains.
While as coordination of issues related to students, patients and other residents of J&K affected by lockdown and currently in different parts of the country shall be looked after by Principal Resident Commissioner, J&K Government, New Delhi, Dheeraj Gupta and Additional Resident Commissioner and ex-officio Secretary Resident Commission J&K Government, New Delhi, Niraj Kumar.
The order mentions that Commissioner Secretary Labour and Employment shall coordinate labour issues including problems of wage-labourers of J&K currently under lockdown in other parts of the country.
Overall coordination at divisional level including quarantine facilities and all other administrative arrangements shall be looked after by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma assisted by Managing Director Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Yasha Mudgul and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P. K. Pole assisted by Managing Director Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Mohammad Aijaz and Chief Executive Officer JAKEDA, Owais Ahmed.
Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi and Director Industries and Commerce, Jammu, Anoo Malhotra shall oversee industrial production efforts—maintaining production supply chains and coordination efforts.
The coordination of all media and information efforts shall be looked after by Principal Secretary Information Department, Rohit Kansal and Director Information, J&K, Dr. Sehrish Asgar, the order added.

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