Srinagar: Calling for strict adherence to the COVID19 safety guidelines, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mohammed Aijaz Assad on Sunday urged Srinagar residents to make collective effort to fight and defeat Coronavirus.
He added that there would be no need for lockdown if people followed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in letter and spirit.
Responding to queries by Greater Kashmir on violation of SoPs, the DC said district administration Srinagar held several meetings with religious heads and trader bodies and others in an effort to garner cooperation in implementation and adherence to SoPs.
“The reopening of markets and allowing public transport was subject to the adherence to COVID19 safety guidelines. Allowing social functions was also subject to adherence to limited gathering,” he said while replying to a query.
He said that people would have to come out of slumber and slackness as there was warning from health agencies about the imminent third wave of the virus.
“In the past two months, looking at the rise in positive cases after a lot of marriage events in the city, we already went for a localized lockdown. The most cases were reported from prosperous areas of the city. That is something we must realize. Srinagar may be more prone to spreading of virus given its high density population. We need to be very careful at this stage,” the DC said.
“I don’t think any need to impose a lockdown may arise if all people show collective responsibility and adhere to COVID19 SOPs in letter and spirit. I repeat that as per health agencies, the third wave of virus is imminent and we all need to be careful at this stage and adhere to COVID19 safety guidelines,” he said.
“We have to understand that because the virus is not new but two years old. It happens that the society at large goes into slumber vis-a-vis COVID19 threat means it becomes slack which would be a kind of blunder which can invite the third wave. We have to be very vigilant at this stage,” he added.
“COVID19 safety guidelines including wearing facemask, maintaining social distancing are not a teacher-classroom session. This is not something that the district administration will impose on each individual. But we all have to take and perform responsibility and follow protocol in letter and spirit,” the DC said.
“It shall be our alertness in terms of dealing with the COVID19 situation whether we want to invite third wave on our own or want to fight this pandemic as a responsible citizen,” he said urging people to follow COVID19 safety guidelines in letter and spirit.
He said the district administration had been working hard to fight COVID19 pandemic. “People of the district have extended their cooperation in the past due to which visible decline was witnessed. Now, it is high time again that people adopt appropriate behaviour with more responsibility to defeat the predicted third wave,” he said.