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J&K forms five-member Covid crisis management committee
The grouo comprises the chief secretary; financial commissioners, finance, and health and medical education; home secretary and principal secretary to the government, public works (R&B) department. The PS to LG will be a special invitee.
Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the covid situation in UT on Saturday late evening and formed a five-member crisis management panel for effective management of the deadly disease. He also ordered an immediate oxygen audit in every hospital to ensure optimal availability.
The five-member Crisis Management Group, comprises the chief secretary; financial commissioners, finance, and health and medical education; home secretary and principal secretary to the government, public works (R&B) department. The PS to LG will be a special invitee. It will interact with other officers and medical specialists as necessary.
On Saturday, the UT recorded its highest single-day death toll this year, at 47; 30 in Jammu and 17 in Kashmir. The 47 includes four patients, who died allegedly due to low oxygen at ASCOMS hospital. The administration maintains they died of other medical reasons, and not due to shortage of oxygen.
In view of spike in Covid cases, corona curfew, which has to end at 7am on Monday, May 3 stands extended till 7am on Thursday, May 6 in four districts of , Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam and Jammu. A re-assessment will be done on May 6.
Atal Dulloo, financial commissioner, health and medical education, said that a DRDO team had arrived in the UT to set up 500-bed Covid facility, one each in Srinagar and Jammu. It was informed that 1,50,000 doses of vaccination for people falling between the age of 18-45 years.
PROBE ORDERED INTO FOUR
DEATHS AT BATRA HOSPITAL
Jammu Following the death of four covid patients, allegedly due to shortage of oxygen at Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, popularly called Batra Hospital, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered a probe. Those dead were Prof Irshad Ahmad Hamal, Haider Ali, Manjeet Singh and Bitta Kumari Kher.
Their kin alleged that the deaths were caused due to shortage of oxygen, a claim strongly denied by the administration as well as the hospital management.
Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education department, Atal Dulloo has appointed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr Raghav Langer as inquiry officer and asked him to probe into the circumstances leading to the deaths at Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) and hospital.
Consequently, Langer has constituted a three-member committee comprising director health services (Jammu), Director Industries and Commerce (Jammu), who is also member of a panel constituted last month to ensure adequate and timely supply of medical oxygen to hospitals, and Superintendent Engineer Mechanical Engineering department Jammu, the officials said.
WEEKEND LOCKDOWN WILL STAY,
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES CLOSED TILL MAY 31
JAMMU The Jammu and Kashmir government Sunday announced that there shall be complete “Corona curfew (night curfew)” every weekend in all 20 districts from 7 pm each Friday till 7 am each Monday. The government has also announced that the closure of educational institutions has been extended till May 31. Only 50% shops will be allowed to open on a day while traffic shall ply with half of the sitting capacity till May 31. All paid public parks in J&K shall remain closed for visitors till May 31. Existing guidelines and SoPs in place for compulsory testing of all incoming passengers and travellers to J&K shall be strictly enforced.
