Admn goes tough in Srinagar after rising Corona cases, 50 business units sealed

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Sept 20: The district administration Srinagar today warned that it will be forced to impose lockdown in areas within the district that are regularly violating the COVID-19 SOPs due to which positive cases from the district are rising and sealed 50 business establishments.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Aijaz Asad while talking to media persons during a surprise visit carried out in the city centre said that few areas in the district are resorting to repeated violations and by doing that, are putting the entire district at risk.
“There are few areas in Srinagar district where there are repeated violations of the COVID SOPs and due to which the positive COVID cases are rising,” he said, adding within few days if the violations continue, “those areas will have to face complete lockdown.”
He said that the administration will not allow few areas to put the entire district in danger. “The Enforcement Squads will act tough on such violations and it will be made sure that there is total compliance to the CAB everywhere,” he said. Click here to watch video
Several business establishments were sealed on the spot for violation of COVID SOPs. “The inspection was aimed at ensuring adherence to the COVID SOPs and during that we found violations at several places.”
The markets which were inspected include Lal Chowk, Ghanta Ghar, Forest Lane, Dalgate, Polo-View, MA Road, Regal Chowk, Residency Road, Amira Kadal, Hari Singh High Street, Maharaja Bazar, Gonikhan, Jehangir Chowk, Batmaloo and other adjoining business hubs.
During the inspection, 50 business establishments were sealed which include Time and Sound, Samsung Phone Gallery, LG Appliances, Ahdoos Bakery, Flower Gallery, Beauty Corner, Fine Walk, U&I Cloth Shop, West End, Bhaijan, J&K Motors M.A Road, Jan Bakery Dalgate, Neelam Textiles, Bahurani, Hamdan, LG New Melodie Radios, Peter England, New Kashmir Metal Mart, New Kashmir Ornament House, OCM, Lal Chowk Bund and Imperial Shah Stores. A fine of Rs 20,000 was also imposed on violators of Covid-19 SOPs on the spot.
The Deputy Commissioner appealed to people to strictly follow the CAB while underlining that a majority of cases from J&K are reported from Srinagar alone.
“I appeal people to adhere to CAB in the wake of possible third COVD wave as 50% cases from J&K are being reported only from Srinagar which indicating the magnitude of CAB breaches,” he said.
On the occasion, the DC Srinagar was accompanied by SSP Srinagar Sandeep Choudhary, and Additional Deputy Commissioner, Hanief Balkhi.
Speaking on the occasion, the SSP said that many shops were found violating the COVID SOPs and the action was taken on the spot. He added that people need to adhere to CAB and in case they did not, “we are bound to take action,” he said.
Kashmir today reported 109 fresh cases of COVID-19 taking the Jammu and Kashmir tally of positive cases to 328,069 while active cases have gone up to 1461.
Those who tested positive include 68 from Srinagar, 9 from Baramulla, 14 from Budgam, 4 from Pulwama, 4 from Kupwara, 1 from Anantnag, 2 from Bandipora, 6 from Ganderbal and 1 from Shopian.
The number of cases in Kashmir division has reached 204,578 including 201,096 recoveries and 2,247 deaths.
The number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 1,461 including 1,235 from Kashmir division.
With 159 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 322,191, which is 98.20 percent of the total cases.