Jammu and Kashmir administration has brought back over 6,000labourers and students of the Union Territory in the past four days who werestranded in various parts of the country amid the lockdown imposed to controlthe spread of coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.
With this, a total of over 17,700 people hailing from theUnion Territory have been brought back to Jammu and Kashmir during the lockdownperiod, they said.
“As many as 3,022 people of J-K have been evacuatedfrom various states during the past 24 hours. With this, a total of 6,355labourers and students have been brought here in the past four days,” saidAjeet Sahu, Commissioner Secretary, Jal Shakti department, told PTI.
Sahu, who heads the management and regulation of theInter-State border terminal for entry into Jammu and Kashmir, said a total of 17,770have so far arrived in Jammu and Kashmir from other states during the lockdown.
Giving breakup, he said 1,977 labourers and passengers havebeen evacuated from Punjab, followed by 3,955 from Himachal Pradesh, 399students from Kota and 24 people from Uttar Pradesh (UP).
The Jammu and Kashmir government had sealed the Inter-stateborder terminal on March 24, allowing only movement of people with passes andvehicles carrying essential supplies and patients.
On March 31, the Jammu and Kashmir administration set up a24×7 control room at Lakhanpur inter-state border plaza in Kathua district forhassle-free movement of trucks carrying essential supplies to the unionterritory.
Of 17,770 persons, as many as 1,862 patients along withdrivers and attendants arrived from outside J-K during the period, he said.
Besides these, 20 foreign returnees have also arrived inJammu and Kashmir via Lakhanpur and were sent to quarantine, he said.
As many as 221 officers of the army and para-military forcesalso arrived via Lakhanpur followed by 77 people from essential services and737, who had emergency passes, he said.
He said as many as 10,625 were sent to administrativequarantine in Kathua-Samba belts and out of them, 8813 were released fromquarantine.
“Anyone wishing to enter Jammu and Kashmir includinglocal students and those who have gone outside for work or holiday will have toundergo 14-day quarantine,” District Development Commissioner Kathua OmParkash Bhagat said.
He said there will be no compromise in enforcing thelockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The government has set up four big quarantine centres inKathua and Samba districts for housing those coming from outside the UnionTerritory.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor G C Murmu had earlier saidover 350 students and nearly 40,000 labourers are stranded outside the UnionTerritory due to the nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of COVID-19pandemic.
He had said all those returning to the Union Territory willbe tested and home quarantined.