Srinagar, June 06 : Kupwara Court has ordered district administration Kupwara serving as District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to ensure that the COVID-19 frontline warriors are provided necessary PPE kits, hand gloves, sanitizers, masks and other essential equipments without any delay while hearing a petition on containing COVID-19 in Kupwara district that is battling with alarming number of positive cases.
The district Court Kupwara while hearing a petition on providing necessary protective gear to the COVID-19 frontline warriors in district Kupwara filed by a social activist, advocate Mir Mansoor Ahmad directed the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to provide the necessary PPE kits, hand gloves, sanitizers, masks and other essential equipments to the COVID-19 frontline warriors like police personnel, doctors, paramedical officials, municipality officials and workers without any unnecessary delay so that they can feel safe and secured in handling the Coronavirus pandemic.
The petitioner, advocate Mir Mansoor prayed before the court that the J&K police force, doctors and para-medical staff and municipal workers are exposed to COVID-19 and prone to virus which may put out their lives at risk on account of non availability of proper protections like PPE suits, face masks and other essential equipments. That the life of every person is precious and any lapse or leniency may put the lives of the police personnel at risk which is against the law.
Pertinently, the deadly Corona virus like other Districts of the U.T has also affected district Kupwara and as per the official data published by the Govt. of UT of J&K on 02.06.2020 the number of positive cases in the district is at 289 of whom 212 are active, and the frontier district have also reported one death.
“Since many days we are witnessing an alarming rise of COVID-19 cases and frontline force is not even spared who are performing their duties on the front to contain the pandemic. During the past few days we are receiving reports from the entire valley about the positive cases of police personnel and on 30.05.2020, about 91 police personnel in the valley have been tested positive which includes DPL Anantnag, Baramulla, Kulgam and Budgam Districts. In this backdrop, protection equipment and gear must be provided to the frontline warriors”, Mansoor told KNS.
Earlier, a PIL was filed by advocate Mir Mansoor in J&K HC, after the authorities announced the closure of SDH Kupwara and thereafter the reports of lack of medical facilities in district for non-Covid patients. Under his submission, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court asked the authorities in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district to ensure medical facilities to all, particularly to border residents who are subjected to hardships amid this pandemic for want of medical facilities.(KNS)
