Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Friday expressed concern over the laxity in Covid-19 testing at the entry points towards Kashmir, saying the unfiltered entry of travelers mostly laborers will encumber the fight against COVID-19 sprawl.
Expressing concern over the lowering of the guard by the JK administration against the pervasive Covid spread across J&K, the Party Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the government has thrown caution to wind as the travelers from outside, mostly laborers, are not put to necessary filtration process to detect COVID-19 infection.
He said that the passenger’s mostly non-local labourers find unfiltered entry into J&K during night hours now. “The rapid testing has gone for a toss. It seems that the administration is yet to learn lessons from its previous slip-ups. It was expected that the administration will change the travel standards as a part of the aggressive retort to combat the virus,” he said.
Expressing concern over the disbandment of the COVID-19 testing facility at entry points into Kashmir, Imran said the night entry has put the safety and wellbeing of the people living in Kashmir into jeopardy.
“It is expected that the concerned authorities will establish the 24X7 testing facility at Banihal to ensure halt on movement of unfiltered passengers towards Kashmir. The paucity of staff at the checkpoint is a bad excuse. Government is already mulling to employ retired Medics and paramedics to boost up COVID care; why cannot it employ numerous nursing and other paramedical apprentices to boost up testing rate across all entry points into J&K. I hope the administration will address the issue on an immediate basis by exploring all options. At this juncture when our medics and paramedics are already working pressed by increased walk-ins at hospitals, allowing nonlocal passengers to walk without screening will severely dent the ongoing efforts to combat the viral spread. The slip-up could make way for other stains of COVID-19 to find its way into Kashmir division. I hope the administration will take an immediate call on the issue,” he added.
