BUDGAM: Authorities in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Sunday declared three villages of the district as red zones in view of a spike in COVID-19 cases.
As per an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Shahbaz Ahmad Mirza in this regard, the said villages comprise Gutpora and Rusoo villages in Tehsil Narbal and Sardar Patte of village Bonhama in Beewah Tehsil.
The district administration has imposed restrictions in the said villages under section 144 Cr.PC as per relevant provisions of Epidemic Disease Act, 1987 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
As per the order, no movement of any individual for any reason whatsoever shall be permitted into and out of these Red zones except those permitted by the competent authority as per SOPs.
There shall be no vehicular movement in the interior roads of the Red Zones. However, for any medical emergency, people have been asked to contact the control room on landline numbers 01951-255242/255291 in case of any emergency.

The Chief Medical Officer, Budgam and Block Medical officers of Soibugh and Beerwah blocks have been directed to start the process of contact tracing of the COVID-19 cases as per norms and 100% screening in these villages.
Besides, Tehsildar Beerwah and Tehsildar Narbal have been asked to provide the boundaries of the red zones for enforcement and for contact tracing. The sampling of contacts and their quarantine shall be ensured as per SOP, the order added.

The order reads that the Chief Medical Officer, Budgam shall also establish a health facility at a suitable location in the Buffer zone.

ARIF RASHID