COVID-19 PANDEMIC: Now, police can enforce home, hospital quarantine

Srinagar, Mar 18: Jammu and Kashmir Police has been given powers to enforce the home and hospital quarantine for the suspected coronavirus cases in the union territory.

Jammu and Kashmir has so far reported three positive cases of coronavirus while more than 2000 persons are under surveillance.

Many of the suspected cases who were quarantined had tried to flee from isolation wards prompting the government to enforce the preventive measures.

Jammu and Kashmir government has deputed 20 Deputy Superintendent of police (DySPs) –10 each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions- to assist the divisional administration in controlling the coronavirus.

Officials said DySPs will assist the district health authorities in contacting, tracing isolating and quarantining the suspected cases.

“A team of health department officials will be accompanied by the police, who will help the medicos to establish contact with the suspected case. Later they will also assist the health officials for quarantining or isolating the suspected cases,” they said.

An order issued by J&K Home Department has called for deployment of Dy SPs at control rooms established by the Medical and Health Education department.

“The deployment shall be for a period of three months.  They shall remain exclusively on the assignment during the period of deployment and shall report at the concerned district control room,” the order reads.

Sources said the health department will provide safety gears to the police officials while recovering suspected coronavirus cases in the union territory.

“Precautionary measures are necessary to be followed during quarantining or either isolating suspected cases. The police officers will be provided gloves, aprons and other equipment to prevent them from getting infected while dealing with coronavirus cases,” they said.

Director, Disaster management Aamir Ali said the DySPs will assist Deputy Commissioners in Jammu and Kashmir to implement measures for controlling coronavirus.

“Every Deputy Commissioner will be assisted by a DySPs so that these preventive measures are implemented in letter and spirit. The modus operandi will be chalked out by the Deputy Commissioners,” he said.

 Even though no positive case has come to fore in Kashmir, the administration is not leaving anything to chance and taking various preventive measures to protect people from the infection.

From screening of the passengers at airport to closure of schools, restaurants, and gymnasiums, the administration has announced a slew of measures for the last one week.