The government today informed that 16598 stranded labourers and passengers were facilitated from other parts of the country and inter-state movement of 33803 essential supplies carrying trucks was ensured since the lockdown was announced to curb the transmission of COVID-19 disease.
Out of the 16598 facilitated, there was regulated facilitation of around 8100 by today evening which comprises mostly from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan’s Kota.
The government also arranged the safe return of 376 students stranded in Kota, Rajasthan due to lockdown through 15 buses which includes 186 from Jammu, 134 from Kashmir and 56 from Ladakh.
Further, the government said that all the incoming passengers from 23rd March onwards were kept in administrative quarantine at Kathua and Samba districts.
“They are being sent for another 14 days home quarantine after their release from quarantine centres. The local administration keeps vigil on informal routes (river/nallahs) and the persons crossing such informal routes are caught and kept in administrative quarantine in Kathua,” the government said.
It said that 17770 passenger arrivals were registered at Lakhanpur crossing till April 29, 2020 of which 10625 were kept in administrative quarantine in Kathua-Samba. While as, so far, 8813 persons have been released after completing their quarantine period from Kathua and Samba.
The arrivals also include 3863 persons who were caught crossing through informal routes and were stopped at Lakhanpur. It also comprises 550 patients with an equal number of accompanying drivers and attendants, 20 Quarantined foreign returnees (As per MHA guidelines), 77 Essential services personal, 737 on exigent ground / medical emergency on passes and 221 officers and officials including Army, Para military forces.
Moreover, to facilitate hassle-free movement of trucks carrying essential goods to Jammu and Kashmir, the government immediately after announcement of lockdown set up a facilitation centre at Lakhanpur entry point.
The facilitation centre is laced with a 24×7 control room, medical screening teams and vehicle facilitation counters, disinfectant tunnels, foot operated dispensers with hand sanitizers, disinfectant spray for sanitizing drivers’ cabins, free face masks and fair price shop/tea shop for the drivers/cleaners.
Senior officers including Deputy Commissioner and SSP, Kathua working under the supervision of Commissioner-Secretary, PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, A K Sahu(Nodal Officer for management of interstate movement) along with other supporting staff of Police, health and other organs of civil department besides Nodal Officers have been deployed at Lakhanpur to oversee the arrangements.
Since March 25, 2020 the centre has facilitated movement of 33803 incoming trucks carrying essentials like fruits, vegetables, dry fruits, LPG, petroleum and oil lubricants, cattle feed/fodder, ration/food grains, eggs, milk, fertilizer, medicine, raw material, poultry/sheep, construction material, agriculture equipment and other essential items.
Further, since 23rd April onwards, a detailed district wise list of drivers and cleaners/conductors who wish to stay back in J&K after deloading their essential goods is mailed to respective Deputy Commissioners for putting them in quarantine as per COVID-19 standard operating procedure.
A sample testing counter is planned to be established at Lakhanpur for collection of samples of drivers and cleaners/conductors originating from hotspot districts.