Curfew continues in J&K, reports of positive cases, deaths still pour in
Srinagar, May 1: The 84-hour-long corona curfew continued on Saturday since Thursday evening in the Jammu city, where reports of COVID-19 positive cases and deaths still pour in.
Meanwhile, the Union Territory (UT) administration has announced start of vaccination for the age group of 18 year to 45 year from today in Jammu and Srinagar to be covered first.
The UT administration had imposed corona lockdown from 1900 hrs from Thursday and till 0700 hrs on Monday in Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Badgam, Kulgam, Pulwama and Ganderbal in the Kashmir valley.
However, curfew was also imposed in three more districts of Kupwara, Bandipora and Shopian from 1900 hrs on Friday till Monday morning to break the chain of virus.
On Friday 3532 new positive cases of novel Corona virus -1172 from Jammu division and 2360from Kashmir division—were reported, thus taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 176083. Also 30 COVID-19 deaths have been reported--- 17 from Jammu Division and 13 from Kashmir Division—on Friday.
Streets continued to wear a deserted look on Saturday with only personnel from the law enforcing agencies on the road to strictly implement the restrictions. However, shops selling vegetables, milk and fruits were seen open today.
The administration has exempted grocery shops, milk and dairy product shops, fruit and vegetable mandi, bakery and meat shops from the curfew and allowed to function between 1000 hrs and 1800 hrs even during the lockdown. Chemist shops, LPG/petrol pumps, ATM, media, FCI, e-Commerce, construction activities, COVID-19 vaccination, inter-state movement will be fully allowed during the lockdown.
Busy business centre in Srinagar, including historic Lal Chowk, Gantaghar, Regal Chowk, Moulna Azad and Residency roads, Budshah Chowk, Maisums, Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Mahraj Bazar, Goni Khan, Dalgate and Batmaloo remained closed. However, at HSHS some vegetable shops were open.
Security forces and police personnel remained deployed in strength to strictly impose the restriction though people cooperated with the administration and remained indoor. Security forces have also closed many roads with barbed wire in Srinagar, where 932 cases reported on Friday. Officials said 536 corona positive cases have lost their lives to virus in Srinagar.
Transport also remained off the roads though some vehicles carrying patients to hospitals or private clinics were being allowed to ply after properly checking their documents in the city.
Similar corona curfew restrictions reports were received from other nine districts of the valley.
The UT administration had imposed curfew from 1900 hrs from Thursday and till 0700 hrs on Monday in Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Badgam, Kulgam, Pulwama and Ganderbal in the Kashmir valley.
However, in Shopian, Kupwara and Bandipora restrictions were imposed on Friday evening till Monday morning.
In Shopian district, where 105 fresh positive cases were reported on Friday, police personnel were directing people to remain indoor.
Similar announcements were also made in Kupwara, where 203 fresh positive cases were reported on Friday and Bandipora districts in north Kashmir, where 60-hour-long corona curfew started from 1900 hrs and will continue till 0700 hrs on Monday.
Bandipora in north Kashmir recorded lowest 45 fresh corona virus positive cases yesterday.