E-Paper
Dal Lake’s first Covid-19 case proves to be a challenge for J&K administration
What has compounded the problem is that the source of the infection is not known so far.
The detection of the first coronavirus positive case in Srinagar’s Dal Lake has thrown a challenge at the administration as it would be difficult to impose strict restrictions on the waters. What has compounded the problem is that the source of the infection is not known so far.
Earlier this week, an 80-year-old woman of Batpora hamlet in the interiors of Dal Lake near Jogi Lankar tested positive for the disease and died at Chest Diseases Hospital in Srinagar on Tuesday. Twelve of her close contacts were immediately quarantined, of which one family member tested positive on Thursday.
Though the officials immediately declared the hamlet and its road-connecting areas like Jogi Lankar and Lamb Mohalla as red zones, people have been moving freely in the Batpora area during the lockdown.
Srinagar deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary said that they have sealed areas such as Jogi Lankar and Rainawari keeping only one entry-exit functional. “We also sent a team to the lakeside and a police team is also patrolling to keep a vigil,” he said.
Dal Lake is a microcosm of Srinagar city. Even in the strictest of curfews or a shutdown, Dal Lake remains unaffected as people mostly use boats for transport. Since the nationwide lockdown was enforced to contain Covid-19 pandemic, life for those staying in human settlements within and along the Dal Lake has been going on with farmers growing vegetables and selling them daily at the floating market.
“There have been no restrictions but people have been maintaining social distancing,” said Bashir Ahmad Bhat, who daily rows 5km on his boat to the floating market to buy vegetables in bulk and then deliver in the city.
Spread over an area of 24 km including the settlements and vast expanse of the lake, some 50,000 people live in small hamlets and houseboats on Dal Lake.
DC said that imposing restrictions in Dal Lake is a challenge. “We have activated Anaganwari workers, BLOs and health workers to ensure that there is less movement,” he said.
What has been more worrying is the unknown source of infection of two of the 88 cases in Srinagar including a vegetable seller of Nishat and the 80-year-old woman.
“The woman was reported to be suffering from various ailments. She neither had any travel history nor had contact with any known positive patient. We are identifying the sources of infection,” Choudhary said.
