Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 17: A Director at a government owned hospital in the summer capital of Srinagar has come under scanner for jumping the gun that Jammu and Kashmir is in community transmission phase of the Covid-19 spread whereas the Union Government has clarified that such was not the case anywhere across the country.
Sources said the office of Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu has received complaints against the allegedly erring Director for his irresponsible statement and that action was expected in the coming days.
On June 8, a day after Jammu and Kashmir faced its biggest spike in the number of Covid-19 positive cases, the director of the super specialty said that community spread has already started in Kashmir.
The said Director had told a news agency that “Kashmir is facing community spread of COVID-19. This is a reality and we must accept it and learn to live with it.”
But there days after his irresponsible statement, the central government refuted all such claims.
On June 11, the union government said there is no community transmission of the coronavirus pandemic in India, amid intense speculation over the past week on the spike in cases.
“India is such a large country and prevalence is very low. India is not in community transmission,” said Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Community transmission, as per the experts, means that the disease is in its third stage and the source of its origin is not known. It is now present in the community and can infect people with no history - either of travel to or contact with infected people and areas. At this point, everyone is susceptible to catching it. Sources said the government has decided to initiate strict action against the said official for creating panic in Kashmir through his irresponsible behavior.
“The complaint has come to us and the matter is being looked into,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. |
