JOIN USJammu and Kashmir HC asks govt to take measures against coronavirus at religious, tourist places
As coronavirus threat keeps people on tenterhooks across the world, Jammu and Kashmir high court has directed the Union Territory (UT) government to take preventive measures at religious and tourist places within two days to deal with COVID-19 spread.
Hearing Public Interest Litigations, a division bench of the HC comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal directed the government to notify and implement appropriate measures, keeping in view the public health emergency at such places at the earliest.
The Court asked the Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education to take essential measures at religious places within two days. The Court also asked that copy of the order be sent via email to the Chief Secretaries of Jammu and Kashmir UT and Ladakh UT as well as Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education department.
Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have several places of religious importance and popular tourist destinations. “There is not only heavy footfall of pilgrims but huge crowds during congregations. The pilgrims to the shrines are coming not only from India but from all over the world,” the court observed.
The Court directed all Deputy Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh to examine the provisions of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005 and all other laws saying, if deemed appropriate, steps as may be advised may be taken.
Further, the HC said, for preventing social interaction and enforcing distancing, it has issued a direction to the trial courts not to insist on personal appearance of prisoners and use the facility of video conferencing for extension of remands and as a substitute for prisoners’ appearance.
Meanwhile, authorities screened more than four thousand domestic travelers at Srinagar international airport on Tuesday. Nodal Officer, coronavirus for Kashmir, Dr S M Qadri said 4,222 travelers from different parts of India were screened at Srinagar airport on Tuesday. However, he said that there was no international traveler who visited Kashmir by air on Tuesday.
At Lower Munda, the only road entry point to the valley, Dr Qadri said, 546 vehicles and 2700 travelers were screened on Tuesday. So far, a total 47,927 persons have been screened at Srinagar airport while 3,303 vehicles and 7,347 travelers have been screened so far at Lower Munda since screening process started, he said.