Srinagar: The Srinagar administration on Tuesday evening announced lifting of curfew as the situation here remained incident free but strict restrictions would continue in areas which have seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, officials said.
An order was issued by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Choudhury on Tuesday saying that after assessing the situation in the area, it has been decided to prematurely end the curfew which was slated to continue till Wednesday night.
The order, however, states that restrictions ordered earlier under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Disaster Management Act, in view of the prevailing situation due to the COVID-19 disease, will remain enforced across the district as directed through an order issued on July 31.
It states there shall be restrictions on public movement including transport and that commercial and other establishments shall remain closed.
Meanwhile, Choudhury has said avoiding public gatherings is an important part of the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and urged the general public to ensure strict compliance with all preventive guidelines and protocols that the government has issued in regard to it.
He has directed for strict adherence to restrictions as ordered.
Earlier, curfew was imposed across the valley on Tuesday as authorities apprehended violent protests in view of “plans by separatists and Pakistan-sponsored groups” to observe August 5, the first anniversary of revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, as black day.
Police and CRPF personnel were deployed in strength across the valley to ensure that the plans of the separatists to disturb peace did not succeed, officials said.
Barricades were set up at hundreds of places in Kashmir, including Srinagar city, to regulate movement of essential services and emergencies while concertina wires were also laid, the officials said.
The authorities had announced on Monday that the curfew would be imposed in Srinagar and other parts of the valley in view of the inputs about violent protests endangering public life and property as the separatist and Pakistan-sponsored groups were planning to observe August 5 as a “Black Day”.
However, medical emergencies and movement of staff on COVID-19 duty with pass/valid cards were exempted from the restrictions, the order said.
