Srinagar, Oct 08: The Government has classified all districts of Jammu and Kashmir valley excluding Kishtwar district of Jammu division as Orange zones following the assessment of COVID-19 situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
This classification has been done after the State Executive Committee took a detailed review of the current COVID situation in Jammu and Kashmir while taking into account an overall assessment of the situation pertaining to the spread of COVID-19 in the UT, trends in new cases particularly the recent spike in new cases in view of the continuous movement of people travelling to J&K and between provinces or districts with tremendous risk of further spread and the risk perception of Health department in each district and the need to control further spread of COVID-19.
Accordingly, the Government has declared Lakhanpur Containment zone on the NH-44 with a buffer of 500 meter radius and Jawahar tunnel area, on either side as red zone while Jammu division’s Kishtwar district has been kept in the category of green zone unlike rest of the districts of the division.
“The categorization of districts into red, orange and green zones will be followed for the purpose of implementation of permitted activities in the respective districts as per a separate order, to be issued by the State Executive Committee (SEC) ,” reads an order issued by the Chief Secretary, J&K and Chairman, State Executive Committee, BVR Subrahmanyam here today.
The order further said that this classification will be reviewed periodically and any further modifications will be made by the government of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, as per fresh order, the government has ordered closure of all the schools, colleges, higher educational institutions and Anganwadi centres till October 31, 2020.
However, the order added that 50 percent of teaching staff and non-teaching staff shall be permitted to be called to schools for online teaching/tele-counselling and related work, in areas outside containment zones.
It added that students of classes 9 to 12 are permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers. This shall, however, be permitted subject to written consent of their parents/guardians, as per the SOP already issued in this regard by the MoHFW—(KNO)
