As on date, as many as 2615 people are under the observation and care of the health authorities and one more case each of COVID- 19 having been detected in Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh making it all three and six respectively in number of positive cases, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chander Murmu, accordingly, promulgated Jammu and Kashmir Epidemic Diseases (COVID -19) Regulations Act (JKEDR) Act declaring Coronavirus disease as an epidemic. This step taken by the Lieutenant Governor in the capacity of exercising powers of Legislature in the absence of an elected Assembly, denotes the emerging challenges from the virus and the measures to be taken in a concerted way to fight it out. Vide this proclamation and an Act having come into force with immediate effect, special powers, duties and responsibilities have been assigned to the Surveillance Personnel, Medical Officers and Practitioners. It also enjoins upon the citizens to comply with the provisions strictly as any violations are, now cognizable and punishable offences.
As per provisions of said Act no one can refuse to adhere to steps, measures and precautions, for prevention or for treatment of COVID -19 as the same are now legally allowed to be enforced strictly. In other words, anyone suspected of carrying the virus cannot take any sort of liberties with home quarantine, institutional quarantine or being kept in isolation. In the same way, it is mandatory to cooperate with the surveillance personnel failing which respective Magistrates are empowered to employ coercive measures under the relevant sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The provision of imprisonment up to one year is there in respect of a person concealing any information or stepping out of the premises of quarantine so that the virus could not spread. Looking to the alarming situation, this virus has created globally, if stringent measures in respect of both prevention and treatment are not taken, unimaginable doom could be spelt.
It is only when a holistic view of the characteristics of this virus and it being prone to spread its tentacles of spread and engulfing victims at lightning speed that such preventive measures not only through medical and health related but duly supported by legislations, statutory backing and administrative support are considered imperative. No wonder, all hotels in famous Patnitop are closed till the end of this month. No one can enter the official secretariat nor visit any offices of any HoD. All gardens, parks, amusement spots etc for public and visitors are closed. All those visiting Jammu and Kashmir from UT of Ladakh are mandatorily to be kept under observation / quarantine.
Likewise, at the entry point of Lakhanpur into Jammu and Kashmir, personnel of CRPF are deployed while Section 144 has been imposed in several districts of UT. In the same way, all vehicles of public transport are mandatorily to be sanitized. While Government and administration in Jammu and Kashmir are pooling all the resources at their disposal for fighting this novel threat to human beings, it becomes incumbent upon each and every citizen to come forward and fully cooperate with the administration in various ways primarily in complying with the requirements of prevention, identification, informing, treatment and other measures. Any casual approach not only could prove irreversibly costliest but would constitute an offence under the law.
‘Excelsior’ in its edition of 9th instant, through these columns, had shared with our esteemed readers slew of measures and precautions which we, as responsible citizens, were required to take in keeping this virus duly contained and not allowed in any case to spread anywhere in the UT. At the cost of repetition, looking to the increasing number of the people all over the world getting entangled with this virus touching the number of nearly two hundred thousand and fatalities exceeding seven thousand, it becomes all the more necessary that we, at the outset, lend no credence or any heed to rumours and not create unnecessary and unwarranted panic. That we avoid direct contacts especially with anyone found coughing or having a running nose, not shaking hands or hugging and instead exchanging pleasantries from at least a metre’s distance, frequently at regular intervals sanitise our hands with certified genuine sanitizers/ wash hands profusely with soap and water and avoid touching nose, mouthy, eyes and face like measures are not only elementary but important.
Now, under the fresh provisions under the J&K E D R Act, fresh responsibilities are on the citizens of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in the shape of informing and not concealing information about the virus either suspected or otherwise which has to be furnished, without fail, to the designated authorities so as to take preventive and treatment related measures without any loss of time. The health authorities have provided the telephone numbers which shall remain open 24 hours without any break. This is the testing time of our remaining vigilant and fully aware of how preventive measures could play a tremendous role in containing and controlling this virus. Government alone could do little without our active support.
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