Scores of students arriving at Srinagar International Airport from Bangladesh were sent for two weeks quarantine today, with J&K government terming the move precautionary, possibly being extended to all air travelers here.
A group of students, the exact number of whom could not beascertained was held up at Srinagar Airport for at least eight hours today andlathi-charged, family members alleged. Later, the students were sent forquarantine of 14 days to facilities at Pampore and outskirts of Srinagar.
Earlier 78 people, arriving at Srinagar from Leh were alsosent for two-week quarantine.
Although Bangladesh does not feature among the list ofcountries requiring mandatory quarantine, students returning home from thecountry were sent for quarantine today by J&K Government order.
Divisional commissioner Kashmir Pandurang Kondbarao Poletermed the measure precautionary meant to prevent outbreak of COVID19 inKashmir, where one person tested positive yesterday.
“World Health Organisation has declared COVID19 pandemic. Nocountry is spared right now, though the degree of impact varies,” Pole said. Hesaid the students arriving from Bangladesh “might have come in contact with aperson from Iran, Italy,” he said. “Sending these students for quarantine is aprecautionary measure,” he said.
He said that more details would be sought from thequarantined and if deemed appropriate, “will be released”. He said that spreadof COVID19 was being monitored and approach of prevention will be reviewed on adaily basis. “We have also decided to quarantine passengers arriving atSrinagar airport from Ladakh,” he said.
Meanwhile, district magistrate Jammu issued orders to effecttwo weeks quarantine at designated isolation centers for all passengersarriving at Jammu airport. “The necessary steps under section 144 Cr PC andsection 34 of NDMA Act-2005 empowers the undersigned to issue certain orders/directions to check on the spread of this epidemic,” the order said. “Norelaxation in any case will be given to anyone”.
Many doctors in Kashmir have criticized the approach adoptedby Government and called it “illogical and unnecessary” while others called itinconvenience and stretching of resources. A senior epidemiologist said, “Stategovernment needs to go by ministry guidelines. Their actions are only creatingchaos and panic,” he said. He added that such a measure had not been adopted inany other state.
A senior faculty member of SKIMS said that if government, asa precaution chose to quarantine students, then it needed to quarantineeveryone who was travelling in that flight as they had come in contact withthem. “Currently, India is as affected as Bangladesh, if not more. Then don’twe need to quarantine people arriving from other states as well,” he said.
A parent, speaking to Greater Kashmir said his daughter washuddled up with 11 other girls a quarantine facility at Bemina. “Is that theidea of quarantine?” he implored.
As per the latest Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,updated on 18 March, passengers arriving from 11 countries require to be putunder quarantine. These include – UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, China, Republic ofKorea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany.