Authorities in Kashmir tightened curbs on the movement ofpeople to prevent the spread of coronavirus on Tuesday, a day after 49 peoplewere arrested for violating the lockdown order, officials said.
Restrictions were intensified with security forces sealingoff many roads and erecting barricades to check unwanted movement of peopleacross the valley to enforce the lockdown for containing the spread of thecoronavirus infection, the officials said.
They said the authorities ordered stricter restrictions onTuesday in view of the instances of non-cooperation and violations ofrestrictions from the general public reported at several places across thevalley.
Police vehicles fitted with public address systems wentaround the residential areas in the city here and elsewhere in the valley onlate Monday as well as early in the morning on Tuesday to announce thatrestrictions under Section 144 CrPC had been imposed.
They advised people to stay indoors.
The police also used drones in some parts of the city toannounce restrictions on the movement of people, they added.
The union territory administration on Sunday announced alockdown across Jammu and Kashmir till 31 March as part of its efforts to curbthe spread of coronavirus.
The administration said 16 essential services, includinghealthcare personnel, have been exempted from the restrictions.
However, in an order issued on Monday, Srinagar DistrictMagistrate Shahid Choudhary said till further mechanism has been put in placefor movement of all notified essential services, the exemption on movementshall apply only to officials of healthcare (including doctors, paramedics andambulance operators), fire and emergency services, power, water, food and civilsupplies and public works departments, officials on duty at quarantine centresand those associated with measures for containment of spread of coronavirusinfection, those engaged in transportation of medicines and essentialcommodities and equipment like ration, petrol, diesel and LPG, and print andelectronic media persons.
The order stated that other organisations like banks andtelecommunications related to essential services would be issued movementpasses for minimum staff required for running their operations.
The order and stricter restrictions came after instances ofnon-cooperation and violations of restrictions from the general public reportedat several places across the valley.
In a series of action against violators of the prohibitoryorders, the police arrested 49 persons from Srinagar, Sopore, Handwara andAnantnag area of the valley.
In Srinagar, police received information regarding agathering at Gani Memorial Stadium, Srinagar. Officers swung into action andarrested three persons for violating the orders.
The officials said the three had organised a cricket matchat the stadium.
In Sopore, 10 persons were arrested for violatingprohibitory orders, while in Handwara 35 persons were taken into custody fordefying prohibitory orders and police also seized 23 vehicles from differentareas of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, they said.
Similarly, the officials said, in Anantnag, a person wasarrested for defying restrictions.
Cases under relevant sections of the law have beenregistered against these persons, they added.
More than 1,100 residents of Kashmir, who returned to thevalley from various countries, have been placed under quarantine at variousmakeshift facilities set up by the authorities.
Senior healthcare officials have advised people not totravel into the valley or out of Kashmir for the time being as it was unsafe.
The authorities have had a harrowing time in trying toconvince the people coming from coronavirus-affected countries to stay inquarantine facilities set up by the government.
Several travellers have either avoided travelling by airfrom Delhi or faked their travel history to avoid being quarantined.
Meanwhile, markets across the valley were shut and publictransport was off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries allowed to open,the officials said.
The train services have already been suspended till 31March.
Educational institutions across Kashmir have been closed,while all public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants havebeen shut down.
Restrictions were first imposed in many parts of the valleyon Thursday last week to contain the spread of the virus infection. Themeasures were taken after a 67-year-old woman from Khanyar area of the city,who had returned on 16 March from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, testedpositive for COVID-19 infection.
So far, the valley has registered only one positive case ofthe infection.