Govt claims evacuation of 30,000 stranded J&K residents amid lockdown
Srinagar,
After the announcement made by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on April 29, 2020 of facilitating movement of stranded persons with certain conditions, the Government has issued SOP on April 30, 2020. Further Government of Jammu and Kashmir has collected details of stranded persons who wish to return to J&K providing web links for registration.
According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), J&K Home Department in a statement said that arrangements are being made for their arrival in an orderly manner while adhering to the norms of social distancing and undertaking testing so as to ensure that timely actions is taken to prevent any spread of Covid-19 in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
“Approximately 30,000 persons have entered the UT, with proper regulation, from Lakhanpur. During this period, migrant workers, students and stranded persons from the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have already returned to J&K. The stranded persons in the States/UTs of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh and Delhi have been permitted to return, in a regulated manner, with effect from May 7, 2020 and this process will continue for a week”, statement reads.
“Simultaneously, train services are being arranged for stranded persons of J&K, particularly from far off places. These trains will start arriving shortly; necessary coordination with the sending states as also with the Railway authorities going on. Nobody should move in a hurry without passes issued with the consent of J&K Government. Else will be quarantined for 21 days in Kathua”, it reads.
“The Government has decided to bear the cost of tickets; the returnees will not need to make any payments for their return journey by train. The UT of J&K has taken umpteen measures for controlling the spread of Covid-19, with frontline workers working untiringly. In this backdrop, it is necessary that the return is managed such that these efforts do not get adversely affected”, it added. The Government reassures all the stranded persons of J&K that it is taking every possible step for their early return to their homes. The Government is fully aware of the details of the stranded persons of J&K at various places across the country, not only through the web links started by the Government of J&K but also from the data shared by the sending States/UTs.
“Immediately on finalization of arrangements, they shall be notified about the issuance of passes and travel details. In case any difficulties are being faced at the current place of their stay, they may contact the helpline numbers that have been publicized by the Government so that they are facilitated. It is reiterated that nobody should move in a hurry without express approval of the J&K Government as such persons will be quarantined for 21 days in Kathua”, reads the statement
