Jammu, June 20: In view of improvement in covid situation, government has announced that there will be no weekend curfews in eight districts of the UT. Among these districts three are in Kashmir and five in Jammu division.
“There will be no weekend curfew in Shopian, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, and Udhampur districts of the Union Territory. However, daily night curfew will continue to exist from 8 pm to 7pm. Concerned District Magistrates shall issue orders under CrPC to this effect,” an order issued by the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction reads.
Relaxing restrictions, the order reads: “All outdoor shops and traders are permitted to open on all days, only from 7 am to 7 pm. The market associations will have to fully cooperate with local administration in ensuring strict compliance to the covid appropriate behaviour.
“50 percent of the shops in the indoor shopping complexes/malls can open subject to a roster to be issued by the concerned Deputy Commissioners.
“All government and private offices can function without any restrictions subject to strict adherence to covid appropriate behaviour.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioners have also been authorized to allow opening of paid/unpaid parks for the use of public, only after local assessment and subject to the covid appropriate measures.
The District Magistrates shall strictly ensure that there is full compliance to covid appropriate behaviour and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code.
“The DMs shall consult joint teams of police and Executive Magistrates for enforcement of the covid appropriate behaviour,” the order issued by the Chief Secretary/Chairperson, State Executive Committee, reads.
Pertinently, the decision to end weekend curfew and relax restrictions were taken following a detailed review of the current covid situation in Jammu and Kashmir by the Chief Secretary, J&K with Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, Principal Secretary, Home and Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police and other officers of the Union Territory.
As compared to the previous week, the order says, significant improvement has been made by at least eight districts in respect of the parameters i.e. total weekly new cases (per million), total positivity rate, bed occupancy, case fatality rate and vaccination coverage of targeted population.
“There is a need for further improvement in the interest of public health in all districts,” the order insisted.