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In suo moto proceedings in issues relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir has passed a series of orders to ensure social distancing, so as to break the transmission cycle of the deadly virus.
During the course of hearing, a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal took stern view against the persons who are concealing their foreign travel history, despite clear directions from both the centre and the UT admin.
“Judicial notice can be taken of the several complaints being made in the electronic and print media regard to persons who are concealing their foreign travel history, in order to escape the mandatory quarantine. Some of such persons have been found to be infected and huge public resources have been expended on tracking, not only these persons, but their several contacts during the period upto their detection”.
Stating that such actions will only aggravate the situation and multiply COVID-19 patients, the bench has directed the authorities of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh to enforce their notification/instructions/orders regarding all disclosures including the travel history; quarantining and isolation stringently.
All authorities of the Union Territories shall take strict measures to ensure that all requirements are strictly enforced. Violation of any Government notification or breach thereof should be strictly punished in accordance with law.
The court stressed upon the importance of minimization of social interaction and ensuring social distancing, given that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have several places of religious importance and popular tourist destinations, thus attracting a lot of crowd.
On this aspect, the Financial Commissioner of the Health and Medical Education Department of the UT told the court that Sh. Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board had suspended yatra to the Holi Shrine. On similar lines, all religious leaders had also been advised to suspend all religious gatherings.
The court also directed the state authorities to ensure awareness amongst people living in institutional care, such as orphanages and old age homes amongst others, and to take all measures to protect the inmates or orphans and the senior citizens.
We are informed that the committees have been constituted at the administrative level and steps taken for regular observation and monitoring of old age homes, observation homes, nari Niketan, bal ashram, and other such institutions. The department of social welfare shall continue to ensure that the best possible care is given to all these institutions as well. Additionally, the authorities need to look into the needs of slums and also the homeless people.
The court also directed the government to ensure that proper video conferencing facility is available to juvenile homes or observation homes. They also directed the director general of the prison to file a report stating the steps taken by the prison authorities with regard to the creation of isolation wards and treatment facilities.
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