Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K. Pole today visited COVID–19 screening Centre at Zig Qazigund and peripheries to take stock of the arrangement put in place for the screening of passengers, visiting the valley through Jawaharl Tunnel.

DDC Anantnag Bashir Ahmad Dar, DDC Kulgam, Showkat Aijaz Bhat, ADDC Anantnag, Khwaja Nazir Ahmad, ADC Anantnag, Ghulam Hassan Sheikh, SSP Kulgam, Gurinder Pal Sing, CMOs of both districts, DSP Traffic Qazigund and other concerned accompanied the Div Com.

At Zig Qazigund, the he was briefed about the arrangements put in place for screening of the passengers to ensure no passenger enters the valley without screening.

It was informed that Screening Centres and Help desks equipped with doctors, technical staff and other necessary equipments have been established at other locations including Railway Stations and main entry points to both the districts of Anantnag and Kulgam. Besides, sufficient quarantine wards have been kept ready in all Tehsils of the districts and special teams have been framed to monitor the situation at District, Block and Zonal levels.

The Div Com was further informed that people of both the districts are being educated about the precautionary measures that need to be taken to tackle spread of COVID – 19 besides, section 144 has been imposed in both the districts and a robust mechanism has been put in place to tackle the threat.

 The surveillance teams have been constituted for thermal screening of the individuals, especially having travel history of highly affected countries. He was informed that Rapid Response Teams are working in unison with the surveillance teams, which report on daily basis.

On the occasion, the Div Com directed the DCs to work in coordination and ensure cent percent screening of the passengers with proper care. The Dy. SP Traffic, Qazigund was directed to ensure the movement of vehicles including contract carriers, passenger & personal vehicles, trucks and other load carriers through designated screening centres to avoid the traffic jamming and to ensure that every passenger is screened. The CMOs of both the districts where directed to deploy additional staff to screening centres.

Later, the Div Com also visited Trauma Hospital Qazigund and took stock of the healthcare facilities for the public. He asked the concerned CMO to ensure availability of isolation awards in the hospital, which can be used during emergencies if need arises and also display the information about the COVID–19 precautionary measures for the general public, besides ensure cleanliness in and around the hospital.

He also visited Transit camp at Walnut Factory, Qazigund to see if the camp can be used during the emergency, if raised, in wake of COVID–19 spread. He directed for the macadamization of the roads and lawns of the transit camp at the earliest. He also directed for removal of the unused machinery of walnut processing at the walnut factory so that the space could be used if need arises. 

The Div Com also visited newly constructed residential quarters at Vessu and GDC Boys Khannabal Anantnag to assess if these places could be used in case of exigency. He directed the DDC Anantnag to ensure all the basic facilities to both the places.  

Earlier, the Div Com visited the under construction Road Tunnel at Vujru Qazigund to review the pace of the work. He was informed that the tunnel will be through for the traffic by the end of September 2020. The Div Com directed the concerned executing agency to expedite the pace of work and complete the construction of the Tunnel within the stipulated time frame.