No one enters Kashmir without screening, says Div Com
Srinagar, July 23: Authorities
have collected samples of over 16,000 non-local labourers for COVID-19
testing at Qazigund toll post of which 130 have been tested positive for
coronavirus so far.
Block Medical
Officer (BMO) Qazigund Dr Zahoor Ahmad said they have collected samples
of over 16,000 non-local labourers in the last 10 days who arrived in
Kashmir.
“Fifty percent results have
come so far of which 130 non-local labourers have been found positive
for coronavirus,” Dr Zahoor said.
He claimed that health officials were doing proper screening of all labourers who are arriving in Kashmir.
“The labourers are put in quarantine in respective districts,” he said.
He
however said the order related to collection of samples of non-local
labourers in their work districts has not been implemented yet. “So far,
samples of all non-local labourers are collected at Qazigund toll
post,” he added.
Divisional
Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole claimed no one is entering Kashmir without
COVID-19 testing. “All labourers are being tested and also kept in
quarantine. Show us (government) one non-local labourer who entered
Kashmir without collecting his sample for testing,” Pole said.
As
per the guidelines issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government, all the
passengers coming to J&K by train, air or road are supposed to
remain under institutional quarantine for 14 days after being tested for
coronavirus.
These labourers
arriving in Kashmir however do not undergo any institutional quarantine.
They are directly transported to brick kilns.
An
official of the Labour Department said the non-local labourers are
being brought to resume work on brick kilns. “We provide details about
these labourers to the government,” he added.(KINS)
