Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Jan 21: The 64-hour-long weekend lockdown, aimed at preventing the deadly virus from spreading in Jammu and Kashmir begun on Friday.
All the markets, shops, business establishments remained closed from afternoon, witnesses informed, saying that most of the roads wore deserted look throughout the day in wake of the lockdown imposed by the government. The lockdown started at 2 pm Friday.
At a number of places, policemen were seen fining the people for disobeying the Covid related guidelines and protocols issued by the government and health department.
The weekend lockdown has been imposed after Jammu and Kashmir recorded a spike in the daily Covid cases where the toll of active positive cases has mounted to 34882—11602 in Jammu and 23280 in Kashmir division.
The formal order with regard to the weekend lockdown was issued by the Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, who is also Chairman of State Executive Committee (SEC).
The order said that there shall be a complete restriction on non-essential movement in the entire UT of J&K from every Friday 2.00 pm to Monday 6.00 am, henceforth.
“In continuation to the Covid-19 containment measures ordered vide Government Order No. 04-JK (DMRRR) of 2022 dated 14-01-2022 and in reference to the task force meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, J&K (Chairman State Executive Committee) along with the ACS (Finance), ACS (Health and Medical Education), Principal Secretary to the Government PWD (R&B) & other Senior Health functionaries on 20.01.2022 regarding an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the entire J&K and the presence of variant of concern (Omicron), the State Executive Committee, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it under Section 24 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 orders that there shall be a complete restriction on non-essential movement in the entire UT of J&K from every Friday 2.00 pm to Monday 6.00 am, henceforth,” the order under number 06-JK (DMRRR) of 2022, dated 20-01-2022, reads.
Pertinently, the government has already ordered closure of Coaching Centres and took a number of measures to prevent the virus from spreading.
