J&K issues guidelines for return of stranded people, makes 21-day quarantine mandatory

The UT Government today issued detailed guidelines on movement of stranded people in different parts of the country to Jammu and Kashmir making administrative quarantine of 21 days mandatory for those coming from Red Zones/Districts and an equal days of home quarantine for the rest.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of J&K Government for regulated movement of migrant workers, stranded students and others was issued this evening by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, who also happened to be the Chairperson, State Executive Committee (SEC).

“Those coming from Red Zones/Districts will be medically screened and put under administrative quarantine for 21 days while those coming from non-Red Zones/Districts will be screened and put under strict home quarantine for 21 days. The concerned Deputy Commissioners will follow the protocol of pasting stickers outside the homes of quarantined persons and the SPs will keep police beats activated in such areas,” the SOP said.

However, no one from Red Zone/District/Hotspot will be allowed to enter Jammu and Kashmir without prior permission of the Nodal Officer of J&K as part of an organized movement.

It added that the persons reaching from outside J&K without the permission of Nodal Officer of the UT will be considered to be part of non-regulated movement and all such persons will be put under administrative quarantine for 21 days at Lakhanpur or elsewhere as determined by the Nodal Officer.

The people coming with prior permission of the Nodal Officer will be treated as part of “regulated movement” and those coming without such permission will be put in the category of “non-regulated movement”.

“Movement of stranded persons will be regulated by the Nodal Officer of J&K (Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary Home) in a staggered manner in coordination with Nodal Officers of other States/UTs. Priority will be given to stranded workers and students,” the Government order said, adding that all incoming persons will be 100 percent tested for COVID-19 virus. The Health Department will make necessary arrangements for lifting samples at Lakhanpur and various districts to meet the requirements, and to do Pool Testing of these samples.

As per the SOP, based on results of these tests, a decision on shifting persons from administrative to home quarantine will be taken by the Deputy Commissioners/Divisional Commissioners in consultation with CMOs/Director Health Services concerned.

The Commissioner/Secretary Labour Department will coordinate outward movement of migrant workers held up in J&K to their home States/UTs under the supervision of the Nodal Officer.

“The DCs will be responsible for transit, receiving, quarantining and testing of arriving stranded persons. They will enhance their quarantine facilities at local level by utilizing schools buildings, Panchayat Ghar, Hostels, Youth Kendras, Community Halls etc to be used at a future date as arrivals increase,” the Government order said, adding that all conditions/guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, on safety/health/precautions/social distancing/masks will be followed during transit of the people.

The SOP empowered Nodal Officer (Lakhanpur), AK Sahu, Commissioner/Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control to make arrangements for holding health screening of incoming persons at Lakhanpur/Kathua/Samba and dispatching them to their respective districts in an orderly manner. It said in case, a particular district is not able to administratively quarantine all inbound persons due to exhaustion of capacity, the concerned Divisional Commissioner will authorize utilization of administrative quarantine  including a Government Medical College (GMC)