Restrictions continue in J&K as COVID curfew extended till Monday

Srinagar, May 6: Majority of the people remained confined to their houses as strict restrictions continued for the seventh successive day on Thursday in view of extension of the ‘COVID curfew’ once again till May 10 following unabated rise in the number of fresh coronavirus cases and death in the Kashmir valley.

However, essential services were exempted from the lockdown in the valley, where so far 3,529 people have been fined and 524 others have been arrested for violating Covid curfew and other guidelines since April 29, when lockdown was imposed by administration. But, people allege that grocery, fruit and vegetable shops were allowed to function only in the morning hours.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration earlier this week extended the ongoing ‘corona curfew’ for the third successive time since April 29 in four districts, including Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam and Jammu till May 10. Barring Shopian, the lockdown was extended by the respective Deputy Commissioners of other six districts in the valley as there was no letup in the number of fresh COVID cases and deaths. The Union Territory on Wednesday hit another grim milestone with a record single-day spike of 4,716 Covid-19 infections and 52 deaths.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has directed health officials to increase capacity of hospitals in Kashmir by additional 1050 oxygen beds to ensure immediate treatment for the people requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19. The Lt Governor said that increased bed capacity with oxygen should be ready within a week, adding it will substantially improve the health infrastructure and help out patients in the hour of crisis.

The extension in the lockdown in the valley has come in the backdrop of unabated rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in Kashmir, particularly the summer capital, Srinagar, which has recorded the major chunk of positive cases during the last about 25 days. Srinagar alone, out of 4,716 new Covid-19 cases in J&K, reported 1125 cases on Wednesday, while Baramulla recorded 505 cases followed by Pulwama with 362 cases, Budgam with 277 cases, Anantnag with 255 cases, Kulgam with 238 cases, Kupwara with 148 cases and Gandrebal with 108 cases. Fresh Covid cases in rest of the districts -- Shopian and Bandipora -- in Kashmir are in double digits.

Streets continued to wear a deserted look on Thursday as shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley, where security forces have closed majority of the roads with barbed wires and barricades to stop the movement of people. Reports of violation of lockdown were coming from some areas in the city.

The administration had allowed grocery shops, milk and dairy product shops, fruit and vegetable mandi, bakery and meat shops to function between 0900 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 are also allowed during the lockdown. But, reports coming from many parts of the city alleged that grocery, milk, vegetable and fruit shops were allowed to function only in the morning hours.

All the roads and market places, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, remained sealed to prevent movement of people. Shops and businesses established were closed while all the roads were deserted as traffic and people were off the roads in downtown, civil lines, uptown in Srinagar. But, people with emergency or associated with essential services, including doctors and paramedics, were allowed to move on the roads after proper verification at various checkpoints established by police. Bank branches in some areas were also open between 1000 hrs to 1400 hrs though COVID guidelines, including maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, were being followed.

As many as 4716 new positive cases of novel Coronavirus, including 1518 from Jammu division and 3198 from Kashmir division, were reported on Wednesday, when 52 people, including 24 from Kashmir and 28 from Jammu, lost their lives due to the virus.

Reports of similar restrictions were coming from other parts of the valley, including Sopore, Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north and Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam in south Kashmir. Shops and business establishment were closed and road wore a deserted look in these districts, where police parties were patrolling their respective areas to ensure strict implementation of the lockdown.