Chairman and Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan reviewed the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the district, and discussed ways and means to further enhance the level of measures to contain the spread of the virus on May 10 at Conference Hall, Baroo.

Feroz Ahmad Khan while expressing serious concern over the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the country and the grim situation as a result of the second Corona wave, underlined the need to take stringent measures to deal with the situation.

District Magistrate, Kargil, Santosh Sukhadeve informed that there are 235 active cases of COVID-19 in the district which is a significant number when compared to the district’s overall population. He said in addition to Section 144 CrPC and night curfew, more restrictions are being imposed to prevent any possible exigency. District Administration is in all readiness to deal with the prevailing pandemic situation and all-out efforts are being made to keep the district safe from the deadly Coronavirus, he added.

He sought the cooperation of all the concerned stakeholders and the public in the proper implementation of SOPs and guidelines to break the chain of infection.

CEC expressed gratitude to the religious, political organizations, public representatives, and PRI members for their timely support to the LAHDC and District Administration, Kargil in containing the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the district. He urged them to extend continued support in the fight against the pandemic.

Responding to the various suggestions put forth by the participants during the meeting, he assured that formal orders for starting of online classes for school students will soon be issued through the Chief Education Officer Kargil while the DIET Kargil will be assigned with the responsibility to ensure the smooth running of these classes.

Regarding the measures being taken by the administration to speed up the process of testing, DC informed that with the installation of the new RNA extractor recently, all backlogs up to 5th May 2021 have been cleared.  The RT-PCR laboratory, Kargil will now have a capacity of conducting 1500 test per day, the reports of which will be made available within 48 hours.

Chief Medical Officer, Kargil,  Dr Munawar Hussain Wazir informed about the present status of the COVID-19 situation in the district, status of isolation, quarantine, oxygen generation, vaccination of beneficiaries of different age group and other aspects. He said that a total of 45,087 beneficiaries including persons above 60 years, persons of 45 years and above with co-morbidities, 45 plus persons with no co-morbidities, healthcare workers and frontline workers have been already been inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccines, adding 30717 beneficiaries have got the first dose and 14370 the second dose.

Various measures like enhancing the surveillance measures by ensuring close coordination among the field functionaries of Revenue, Police, Anganwadi Workers, PRI members, Nambardars and other stakeholders at the ground level, putting restraint on the unnecessary travelling of people outside the district, strengthening of screening of all inbound travellers, labourers at all entry points and other related aspects were discussed.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the religious and political organizations, PRI members and other stakeholders assured to extend their full support to the Administration in ensuring the strict implementation of the SOPs, guidelines and other instructions to contain the spread of COVID-19 and keep the district safe from the dangers of the deadly virus.