COVID-19 protocols go for a toss in Shopian

Shopian: The COVID-19 protocols in south Kashmir’s Shopian town have gone for a toss with only a scant number of people following the COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB).

Despite a significant uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases, most people in the town could be seen without masks.

Although the district administration on Wednesday inspected several markets and slapped fines on many violators, the move seemed to have a little effect.

“The streets are teeming with shoppers and 9 out 10 people are without masks,” said Riyaz Ahmad, a resident.

Ahmad said that the local administration was doing little to enforce the COVID-19 protocols.

Another resident said that the district administration had failed to keep a check on the gathering.

“The people gather freely at different places in the market places,” he said.

An official said that both the civil and Police administration had been visiting different markets and distributing masks among the residents while making continuous announcements, asking people to follow CAB.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Shopian, Mushtaq Ahmad Simnani told Greater Kashmir that the administration constituted eight teams and deployed them at multiple locations in the town to enforce CAB.

“More or less we collect fines to the tune of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 for the violation of COVID safety protocols daily,” Simnani said.

He said that the administration convened a meeting of clerics and heads of religious institutions.

“We impressed upon them to minimise the gatherings in Masjids and sensitise the people about the need to follow the COVID-19 protocol to stave off the transmission of the virus,” Simnani said.

Presently, the district has six active COVID-19 cases, the lowest in J&K.