Dir Expenditure, Some Staffers Go For Self Quarantine; SMC Sanitises Building
Srinagar: An orderly posted in Civil Secretariat, the highest seat of the government here, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
A senior officer and some staffers have already gone in self-quarantine as soon as news about the orderly testing positive was communicated by the health authorities.
Sources said that the orderly, a resident of Manasbal, had carried dusting etc in the office of the Director Expenditure on Sunday, a day before Durbar Move offices opened here. He had also visited the office next and carried his job despite instructions by the concerned authorities who had told him not to visit the office as he showed up symptoms normally associated with the disease.
When contacted Tariq Khan, Director Expenditure, said that orderly’s brother is battling cancer and is admitted at Super Specialty Hospital Shireen Bagh and “he would visit him regularly.”
“He was told to not come to the office already. As a precautionary measure, I have gone to self-quarantine,” he said.
The Director said that on inquiring into reasons for him visiting the secretariat despite instructions it has come to fore that he was following the case of his brother, a cancer patient, for monetary assistance.
This is the first case when any employee at the secretariat has tested positive. Following it, Srinagar Municipal Corporation carried out sanitisation at third and fourth of the large building which also houses among others the offices of lieutenant governor, his advisors besides top bureaucrats.
A senior officer at the secretariat said that immediate measures were required to be taken for the safety of others. “The CRPF personnel posted at the entrance would frisk every individual. The employee would have roamed around while visiting the secretariat,” he said, adding, “The government needs to move swiftly to see who needed to be isolated in wake of the incident.”
Covid infect employee tries to escape from hospital
A Government employee who had tested positive recently for Covid-19 infection tried to escape from the Chest Disease Hospital, however, he was identified on the gate and taken back to the ward.
A government employee from Safapora, Sumbal who works in Planning Department before declaring positive had attended his duties at Civil Secretariat Srinagar. The said employee was admitted at Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar for treatment while at Civil Secretariat, scores of employees were put in quarantine who had reportedly come into his contact.
Sources said that the infected employee tried to escape from the hospital but his attempt was foiled. “He was spotted by a Para-medic staffer and taken back inside the hospital,” said an insider.
Dr Naveed, Head of Department Chest Disease Hospital said, he doesn’t know and will ascertain facts. (KNT)
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
