 EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Apr 25: Strike restrictions remained imposed on Sunday on the movement of people in Kashmir valley as part of 34-hour-long ‘corona curfew’ announced by administration amid the unabated rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Union Territory of J&K.
Meanwhile, shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the road in the summer capital, Srinagar, and other parts of the valley, where security forces have closed all the roads by barbed wires and barricades to stop the movement of people. Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday announced complete ‘corona curfew’ from 2000 hours on Saturday till 0600 hours on Sunday in the Union Territory. However, officials said essential service and medical emergencies have been kept out of the ambit of restrictions and would be allowed to move after proper verification. All the roads and market places, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, have been sealed with authorities seeking cooperation from the public to curtail the spread of COVID-19 by strictly adhering to the 34-hour-long curfew. 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 in view of the weekend curfew.
They said police vehicles, fitted with public address system, were directed to people to remain indoors in the city in view of the imposition of strict restrictions to curtail the spread of Coronavirus. As many as 2030 new positive cases of novel Coronavirus, including 834 from the Jammu division and 1196 from the Kashmir division, were reported on Saturday. Fifteen people, including eight from Kashmir and seven from Jammu, lost their lives to the virus on Saturday. Reports of similar restrictions were coming from other parts of the valley, including Sopore, Baramulla, Kupwara in north and Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian in north Kashmir. Business and other activities were also crippled in central Kashmir districts of Budgam and Ganderbal, where roads have been closed with barbed wires in most parts to prevent movement of vehicles and people. The Divisional Administration Kashmir has started tele–Psychiatric and Psychological services to dispel off stress, fear, and anxiety among the people during the ongoing pandemic.
On April 8, night curfew was imposed in the urban areas of eight districts, including Jammu and Srinagar, though it was later extended all 20 districts of the Union Territory in view of unabated rise in COVID-19 cases. The administration also ordered the closure of all universities, colleges, schools, and coaching centres in the Union Territory till May 15. |
