Jammu and Kashmir re-opens partially after 31-day lockdown

Union Territory witnesses downward trend in number of the virus cases

May 31, 2021 07:04 pm | Updated 07:16 pm IST - Srinagar

Vehicles ply in Kashmir after the government announced a relaxation in lockdown in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in Srinagar, Monday, 31, May 2021.

Vehicles ply in Kashmir after the government announced a relaxation in lockdown in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in Srinagar, Monday, 31, May 2021.

Markets reopened and public transport plied partially in J&K after a 31-day lockdown on Monday after the administration announced phased withdrawal of ‘corona curfew’, in the wake of the downward trend in number of the virus cases.

The authorities allowed all stand-alone shops, outdoor shopping complexes and outdoor bazaars to reopen on alternate or rotation basis, except Saturdays and Sundays. However, all educational institutes will remain closed till June 15. Public transport was also to ply with 50% seating capacity.

Mohammad Aijaz, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, asked the shopkeepers and driver to display their vaccination certificates prominently. “Around 96 containment zones continue to be under the lockdown in Srinagar. It’s mandatory for shopkeepers and transporters to display COVID vaccination certificates.”

All administrative secretaries were asked to ensure vaccination of all employees above the age of 45 by June 10 and report with compliance accordingly the same day.

Coronavirus updates | May 31, 2021

The administration plans to vaccinate all the employees above 45 working in their administrative departments by June 10, to resume normal functioning of the offices.

The restrictions on the number of people attending weddings, which is just around 25, and for funerals, which is around 20, remain. “Religious places shall continue to remain open for public, subject to the SOPs.”

The administration’s move has been welcomed by traders and transporters, who claimed heavy losses due to the prolonged lockdown. “The transport industry is the worst hit by the curfew. Families are facing starvation,” Muhammad Sultan, who heads a drivers’ body in Srinagar, said.

Healthy trends

The easing of the curbs was decided after the signs of second wave showed a downward trend, both in terms of infections and mortality.

The J&K Covid Advisory Committee (CAC) has predicted further improvement in the virus graph “in the next few weeks”. “The second wave witnessed a steep and abrupt surge in positive cases and deaths in J&K and is likely to die down in coming weeks,” the CAC report said.

The positivity rate came down from 13% to 6.2% in the recent weeks. An official said the number of new infections is far less than the number of recovered being discharged from the hospitals .

The Union Territory saw 2,256 positive cases on Monday, a significant dip from the peak touched on May 7 when 5,443 cases were recorded. Around 3,870 people have died due to the virus till date.

According to covidkashmir.org, which tracks the trajectory of the pandemic, the bed vacancy has gone up in the hospitals as 2,268 COVID beds were available in Jammu and 1,460 in Kashmir.

A spokesman of “Athrout Kashmir”, an NGO at the forefront of providing oxygen concentrators to the needy in the Valley, on Monday said, “There was a glimmer of hope after a long time. Today, we have zero patients in the waiting list for oxygen support [5 liters]”.

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