While restrictions across the valley remained in place, the government on Tuesday declared more areas as red zone in central, southern and northern Kashmir.
The officials have invoked prohibitory orders under EpidemicDiseases Act 1897, Section 144 of the CrPC and Disaster Management Act, 2005and declared the red zones.
Officials said that there would be no inward and outwardmovement of any person from the areas declared as red zone and the people wouldstay inside their homes to ensure complete lockdown. They warned of sternaction against violators as per provision of relevant Acts.
In central Kashmir, Mehjoor Nagar, Natipora, Lal Bazar,Eidgah and Shalteng in Srinagar, Chadoora in Budgam district and Wakura inGanderbal have been declared as red zones, officials said here.
In northern Kashmir, officials said 20 villages includingParray Mohala Hajin, Chandergeer Hajin, Batagund Hajin in Bandipora have beendeclared as red zones.
Following the death of a patient due to coronavirus inTangmarg area of Baramulla district on Sunday, the Baramulla districtmagistrate has ordered Sulinda village of Tangmarg as red zone.
In southern Kashmir, Gudoora, Chandgam, Pinglena, Parigam,Abhama, Sangerwani and Khaigam in Pulwama, Sedew and Ramnagri in Shopian havealso been declared red zones to the prevent spread of the coronavirus.
The government has already said that several areassurrounding location of Covid-19 cases or untraced contact cases had to besealed in Jammu, Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, and Rajouri in the interest ofcontrolling spread of the disease.
“Aggressive contact tracing of positive cases key to controlspread of #Coronavirus. Yesterday several areas surrounding location of positivecases or untraced contact cases had to be sealed in Jammu, Srinagar, Pulwama,Shopian, Rajouri,” tweeted principal secretary Rohit Kansal.
“This is purely in the interest of controlling spread of#coronavirus, and helping identification of contacts on real time basis,”Kansal, who is also the government spokesman said. “Inconvenience so caused istemporary in nature but benefits will be immense. Request all to cooperate andtake it in right spirit,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary saidthe sealing of the areas is important and indispensable. “With some more casescoming positive these areas will be restricted till all precautions andmeasures are in places,” he added.
Meanwhile, the reports of all 13 people from Waskura villagein Ganderbal district have come negative, officials said.
These 13 people belong to the two families where a COVID19patient from Hajin area of Bandipora had visited.
SYED AMJAD SHAH adds from Jammu:
Two areas in Udhampur have been declared as red zones by theadministration after the detection of two positive cases from a family.
“The villages like Kotli Pain, Rakh Sansoo, Padanoo,Mangiote, Chopra Shop areas in Rehmbal and Mohra Duggar of village Jib havebeen declared as Red/Containment zones,” an order issued by District MagistrateUdhampur Dr Piyus Singla said.
Meanwhile, DC Kathua has recommended FIR against sevenpersons who hid their travel history.
“These people had attended Tablighi Jamat at Nizamudin inDelhi and did not disclose travel history,” officials said.
(With Altaf Baba, Sajad Gul, Irfan Raina)