Coronavirus: J&K Issues fresh guidelines for lockdown, allows movement for permitted activities

Jammu and Kashmir government has issued a fresh set of guidelines for the Covid-19 lockdown, which has been extended till May 17, allowing movement of individuals in vehicles for permitted activities across the Union Territory.

According to the order dated May 3, the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities in all areas between 7 pm to 7 am is restricted and District Magistrates have been asked to issue specific prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in this regard.

The movement of individuals in vehicles is allowed, only for permitted activities, with a maximum of two passengers besides the driver in four-wheelers and with no pillion rider in cases of two-wheelers in all zones, including red, orange and green zones.

Private offices in orange zones have also been allowed to operate with up to 33 percent strength as per the requirement with the remaining persons working from home.

The order also prohibited the operation of all cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, liquor shops, restaurants, spas, salons, parlors, barbershops, and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places, except where permitted under this order in specific categories of districts.

"Persons above 65 years of age, persons and with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years shall remain at home, except for meeting essential requirements or for health purposes," it said.

The order said that inter-state, inter-district, and intra-district buses for public transport and private vehicles, except for purposed permitted, are not allowed to operate in red and orange zones.

Meanwhile, spas, barbershops have been allowed to operate in green zones and even buses can operate with up to 50 percent seating capacity on intra-district routes and between the contiguous green districts.

The authorities have been directed to ensure 100 percent coverage of the Aarogya Setu app among residents of containment zones, conduct aggressive contract tracing, home, or administrative quarantine of individuals based on the risk assessments.

It also mandated compulsory testing of all cases with severe acute respiratory infections, influenza-like illness, and other similar symptoms in red zones. 

-ANI

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