SRINAGAR: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan, today visited the Dargah Hazratbal Shrine to pay obeisance and prayed for the peace and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir in particular and well being of humankind around the world.
He also prayed for the end of the Covid Pandemic and the good health of the people and invoked the blessings of the Holy month.
Later, Advisor Khan reviewed the arrangements for providing necessary facilities for the Holy month of Ramzan.
He reviewed the availability of electricity, water supply, the status of roads leading to religious places and sanitation at the mosques and shrines.
While taking the review, Advisor issued directions for strict observance of Covid-19 SOPs including use of face masks, sanitizers, maintenance of physical distance and discouraging large gatherings. He said the government has given relaxation during the prayer times but obeying Covid-19 SOPs are imperative to fight the second wave of the Pandemic.
He impressed on Wakaf authorities, shrine management, Imams of J&K to arrange volunteers to facilitate people so that social distancing would be maintained.
He instructed for provision of standby transformers and generators and mobile water tankers as a backup at important religious centers.
Moreover, he directed SMC authorities to ensure thorough maintenance of cleanliness besides lighting arrangements at all the Shrines in Srinagar. Similar instructions were given to Municipal Committees in other districts for conducting sanitation drives for containment of Covid-19 and other diseases.
Advisor on the occasion was apprised by the Hazratbal Committee members that the increased number of stray dogs in the vicinity is threatening the safety of devotees and locals besides creating issue of cleanliness in the premises of the Shrine.
Advisor directed SMC, Commissioner to take serious measures to curb the stray dog menace with immediate effect besides asked him to conduct cleanliness drive there.
Meanwhile, Advisor impressed on Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to mobilize the Enforcement Wing of the department for frequent market checking and quality control of essential food items besides ensuring availability of food items in the markets across the Kashmir Division.
He issued strict directions for booking the erring traders and imposition of the fine for overcharging and profiteering. Advisor also set a three days deadline for distribution of hundred percent ration available with FCS&CA department among the people so they don’t suffer due to nonavailability of ration.
Advisor directed RTO Kashmir to ensure the adequate number of vehicles from various stops to facilitate the movement of devotees who intend to perform Friday prayers at shrines and mosques in Srinagar and other districts.
He also instructed the concerned authorities to ensure adequate transport and parking facilities besides the hassle-free movement of traffic on the important routes during Fridays.
The Director Health Services Kashmir was told to keep vigil to contain the spread of the virus and put a proper mechanism of covid testing at every such place which has a significant number of devotees. Advisor Khan directed for setting up dedicated ambulances with paramedic staff in districts for rapid testing besides making arrangements for thermal scanning for the safety of the people.
Further, Advisor issued directions to all the DCs to put a proper mechanism and arrangements in place to check the price and availability of essential items in the market places besides conducting market inspections to have check and control on the activities of unscrupulous elements and hoarders.
DCs were also asked to depute the enforcement wing and checking escorts in the main markets of respective districts and in rural areas so that black marketing, hoarding and profiteering could be controlled and those who are found guilty be strictly dealt as per the law.
He also directed them to ensure uninterrupted electricity and water supply at the religious places, mosques and shrines in their respective districts during the blessed month to facilitate the general public.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Assad; Director FCS&CA, Bashir Ahmad Khan, Director Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, Additional Commissioner, Tassduq Hussain, OSD to Advisor, Mohammad Ashraf Hakak, CEO Wakaf Board, Fareed u din, ARTO, Kashmir, Ikramulla Tak, SSP, Srinagar Sandeep Choudhury, SSP Traffic, Srinagar, Javid Koul, Deputy Controller Legal Metrology, representatives of line departments of PDD, PHE, Urban Local Bodies, SMC, R&B, other officers and locals community members were present on the occasion.
