Srinagar: The administration of Jammu University (JU) Wednesday ordered work from home for all the employees to contain the spread of COVID-19 on the university campus.
The decision has been taken in view of the surge in COVID-19 positive cases reported from the varsity.
“It is hereby circulated for the information of all concerned that the university employees should work from home till January 21 to contain the further spread of COVID-19 virus infection in the university campus,” JU Registrar said in a notification.
The varsity administration instructed the University Health Centre to continue work on the sanitisation process of various offices, residential areas, and hostels of the university during the closure period.
“The entry of students and outsiders in the university campus should he restricted till further orders,” the JU notification said.
The varsity administration has advised the employees to mandatorily keep their mobile phones in ‘switch on’ mode and remain available on the telephone and other electronic means of communication.
“Further, any of the COVID-19 negative employees can be called by the concerned Controlling Officer, as and when his or her services are required to attend the office during the above period,” the notification reads.
The employees of essential services like University Health Centre, Sanitation, Arboriculture and Landscaping Unit, University Works Department, Security and other employees would continue to perform their duties uninterrupted after following all necessary COVID SOPs.
“Further online teaching should continue as already notified vide order No DAA/22/4034-4083 on January 10 of 2022,” the notification reads.
The notification further said that the university would resume its normal working from January 24 with full attendance of all COVID-19 negative employees after following all necessary COVID SOPs until any other instructions are received from the J&K government or the university in this regard.
The administration of the University of Kashmir (KU) on Tuesday had also ordered work from home for COVID-19 employees of the different departments.
These employees tested positive during the past few days after the varsity decided to go for a sampling of the employees.
Meanwhile, KU’s Biotechnology Department was closed after the employees in the department tested positive for COVID-19.
“The Department of Biotechnology should remain closed for days from January 20 as few COVID positive cases have come into notice,” a notification issued by the Head of the Biotechnology Department said.
The J&K government in its new guidelines issued on January 9 ordered all schools, colleges, polytechnics, coaching centres, and ITIs to adopt an online mode of offering education till further orders.
The guidelines were issued by the State Executive Committee of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction after witnessing a major spike in the COVID-19 cases reported in J&K on a daily basis.
The universities have also deferred all examinations and are mulling to chalk-out new strategies in the near future.