Weekend Covid curfew lifted from eight districts, restrictions eased in J-K

Jammu and Kashmir State Executive Committee (SEC) announced lifting of weekend curfew from eight of the 20 districts, further easing of restrictions owing to improvement in the Covid situation.

The Jammu and Kashmir State Executive Committee (SEC) on Sunday announced the lifting of weekend curfew from eight of the 20 districts, with further easing of restrictions owing to significant improvement in the Covid situation.

However, the night curfew would continue to remain in force in Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora in Kashmir and Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, and Udhampur in Jammu province, an official order said.

The SEC authorised the deputy commissioners to allow opening of paid and unpaid parks for the use of the public across the Union Territory, only after local assessment of the conditions and after due consideration, subject to Covid-appropriate measures.

In his order, Chief Secretary A K Mehta said the decision was taken at a meeting of the SEC with focus on total weekly new cases (per million), positivity rate, bed occupancy, case fatality rate and vaccination coverage of targeted population.

"Whereas it was observed that as compared to the previous week, while significant improvement has been made by at least eight districts, there is need for further improvement in the interest of public health in all districts. Besides, some districts need intense efforts to reach desired levels. As such, there is a need to continue with existing COVID containment measures in these districts, the order said.

Extending the ongoing restrictions till further orders, Mehta, who is also chairperson of the SEC, however announced relaxation in the eight districts on account of significant improvements in the Covid-situation.

"There will be no weekend curfew in these districts. However, daily night curfew will continue to exist from 8 pm to 7 am. District magistrates concerned shall issue orders under CrPC to this effect, the order said.

All outdoor shops and trades are permitted to open on all days, only from 7 am till 7 pm, 50 percent of the shops in the indoor shopping complexes and Malls can open subject to a roster to be issued by concerned Deputy Commissioners and all government and private offices can function without any restrictions subject to strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour, it added.

In the rest of the 12 districts, including Srinagar, the order said the weekend curfew from Friday 8 pm till Monday 7 am and daily night curfew from 8 pm till 7 am shall continue to remain in force.

"All outdoor shops and bazaars are permitted to open on five days in a week (except on Saturdays and Sundays), while 25 percent of the shops would open in indoor shopping complexes and Malls to a roster to be issued by the deputy commissioner concerned," the order said.

"The district magistrates shall strictly ensure that there is full compliance to Covid-appropriate behaviour and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code, the order said.

The SEC asked the district magistrates to constitute joint teams of police and executive magistrates for enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour. PTI TAS

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