SRINAGAR: Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Srinagar, Syed Haneef Balkhi Monday appealed people to follow COVID-19 protocol ‘strictly’ without forcing the administration to be ‘harsh’ by any means.
ADC said force is always the last option and that the administration wants people to follow COVID related SOPs on their own in view of the sudden spike in positivity rate for the past some time in Srinagar.
He said people need to be aware of the consequences of the deadly pandemic and take all necessary precautions like wearing face masks, maintaining social distance in public places, malls, educational institutions or religious places to avoid falling prey to contagion.
“Force is and should always be the last option to insist on anything to be implemented on the ground. We want people to follow all SOPs on their own, without forcing the administration to be harsh by any means,” ADC Srinagar told reporters during his visit to various schools.
He also asked people to be extra heedful so far as the present positivity rate in COVId-19 cases in Srinagar is concerned. Balkhi said following SOPs in letter and spirit by one and all is the only solution to avoid contracting the infection.
ADC said that he personally visited several schools in Srinagar to get a first-hand appraisal of the arrangements being made by the school administrations to save children and staff from getting infected.
“I personally felt happy to see children following COVID protocol like wearing face masks and maintaining social distance in classrooms at some prestigious schools in Srinagar. Our teams on the directions of DC Srinagar visited several other schools where COVID-19 SOPs are strictly adhered to,” he added.
Balkhi also said that official teams would also conduct surprise visits to marketplaces, shopping malls, religious places and government offices to check whether the people follow COVID-19 SOPs or not.
“Since DC Srinagar has also already warned tough actions against the violators, our teams would conduct surprise visits of marketplaces, malls, religious places and government offices to check whether COVID-19 SOPs are followed or not. Those found violating SOPs will be fined and their COVID test will be done on the spot,” he said.
