Seeks closure of gardens, tourist places
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 23: The Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu today wrote a letter to LG Manoj Sinha seeking additional guidelines to be issued in Srinagar City keeping in view the surge in COVID-19 cases.
In a letter, Mattu has requested the LG to implement further guidelines in Srinagar City limits to help contain COVID optimally and effectively.
The Mayor has sought to shut down all tourist gardens, monuments and tourist sites while making a negative RT-PCR test report mandatory for anyone entering Srinagar by air or through the road routes.
“Shutting down our OPDs at Government and Private Hospitals to reduce the strain on our healthcare infrastructure, better isolate our frontline health workers and allow them a better and safer atmosphere in their valiant fight against COVID. All emergent cases can be treated at Emergency Wings and designated COVID centres at the hospitals,” he wrote in the letter.
He also sought ceasing all elective, non-emergent procedures and surgeries at the hospitals till the situation improve and vaccination rates go up. “Surgeries and procedures for emergent and terminal patients should be prioritized. Disallowing all congregational prayers and religious gatherings at places of worship in Srinagar and seeking community consensus and involvement in mounting this challenge together,” the letter stated.
He also sought a 33% attendance roster on a rotational basis for teachers of Government and private schools. “A 33% rotational regulation for vendor-markets and flea-markets in Srinagar – regulating crowds that throng these markets…”
He said that the second wave of COVID mounts an unprecedented challenge in the entire country including Jammu and Kashmir.
“I want to reaffirm the full cooperation of Srinagar Municipal Corporation to the Administration in taking every possible measure to contain the spread of COVID and saving precious lives,” the letter read.
Mattu stated in the letter also sought the constitution of a multi-agency field task force to enforce COVID guidelines, with a strong law-enforcement liaison. Deployment of Reserve Battalions of Jammu and Kashmir Police to enforce adherence to COVID guidelines should be considered for this initiative.
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