No Result
View All Result
  • MISSION STATEMENT
  • CONTACT
  • BE PART OF QUALITY JOURNALISM
  • ARCHIVE
Sunday, September 24, 2023
E-Paper
Kashmir Observer
13 °c
Srinagar
  • NEWSLIVE
    • TOP STORIES
    • LOCAL
    • CITY
    • REGIONAL
    • WORLD
  • IN DEPTH
    • FEATURE
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • OPINION
      • OPINION
      • EDITORIAL
      • KO ANALYSIS
      • LETTERS TO EDITOR
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • INTERVIEW
    • REVIEW
      • BOOKS
    • LONGFORM
  • BUSINESS
    • BUSINESS NEWS
    • MARKET
    • ENERGY
    • HORTICULTURE
    • HANDICRAFTS
    • CARS & BIKES
    • STARTUP KASHMIR
  • SPORT
    • FOOTBAL
    • CRICKET
    • ADVENTURE SPORTS
    • GOLF
    • ATHLETICS
    • SKIING
    • OTHER SPORTS
  • MEDIA
  • PEOPLE
  • CULTURE
    • KHYEN CHYEN
    • ARTS
    • CRAFTS
    • FESTIVALS
    • THEATER
    • LANGAUGE
  • TRAVEL
    • HOUSEBOATS
    • HOTELS
    • ANGLING
    • CAMPING
    • DESTINATION FOCUS
  • SOCIETY
    • EDUCATION
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • GENDER
    • YOUTH
    • CHILD WELFARE
  • LITERATURE
    • SHORT STORY
    • BOOKS
    • NARRATIVE
  • CINEMA
    • CINEMA & TV
  • ePAPERS
    • BAZAAR OBSERVER
    • YOUNG KASHMIR
    • MIZRAB
  • NEWSLIVE
    • TOP STORIES
    • LOCAL
    • CITY
    • REGIONAL
    • WORLD
  • IN DEPTH
    • FEATURE
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • OPINION
      • OPINION
      • EDITORIAL
      • KO ANALYSIS
      • LETTERS TO EDITOR
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • INTERVIEW
    • REVIEW
      • BOOKS
    • LONGFORM
  • BUSINESS
    • BUSINESS NEWS
    • MARKET
    • ENERGY
    • HORTICULTURE
    • HANDICRAFTS
    • CARS & BIKES
    • STARTUP KASHMIR
  • SPORT
    • FOOTBAL
    • CRICKET
    • ADVENTURE SPORTS
    • GOLF
    • ATHLETICS
    • SKIING
    • OTHER SPORTS
  • MEDIA
  • PEOPLE
  • CULTURE
    • KHYEN CHYEN
    • ARTS
    • CRAFTS
    • FESTIVALS
    • THEATER
    • LANGAUGE
  • TRAVEL
    • HOUSEBOATS
    • HOTELS
    • ANGLING
    • CAMPING
    • DESTINATION FOCUS
  • SOCIETY
    • EDUCATION
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • GENDER
    • YOUTH
    • CHILD WELFARE
  • LITERATURE
    • SHORT STORY
    • BOOKS
    • NARRATIVE
  • CINEMA
    • CINEMA & TV
  • ePAPERS
    • BAZAAR OBSERVER
    • YOUNG KASHMIR
    • MIZRAB
No Result
View All Result
Kashmir Observer
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS TOP STORIES

Covid-19 SOPs Go For A Toss At Some Polling Stations

by Press Trust of India
November 28, 2020
A A
1
SHARES
26
VIEWS
KO Photo: Abid Bhat

Ganderbal– COVID guidelines were flouted at some polling stations in the valley and excitement overtook precautions as enthusiastic voters jostled with each other to cast their ballot in the first elections in Jammu and Kashmir after its reorganisation last year.

Authorities had said necessary COVID measures, including the use of masks and social distancing, have been put in place for ensuring safe polls.

From not maintaining adequate distance while standing in queues waiting for their turn to vote, to basking in the lawns, the voters flouted the pandemic guidelines openly with most of them without face-masks or shields.

ADVERTISEMENT

Health department personnel were deployed at the polling booths to check the temperatures of the voters and others using infrared thermometers, but sanitisers and masks at the entry points of most of these places were not available.

In Thune area of the district, four booths were clubbed together and housed at a cramped panchayat ghar. While the view outside – of river Sindh and pine-filled and snow-clad mountains in the distance – was beautiful, the sight inside the polling booth was off-putting.

Read Also

Kashmir Valley Records 700% Rise in Foreign Tourist Arrivals Post G20 Meet

India Blasts Pak For Raking Up Kashmir At UN

Voters lined up, back-to-back, leaving no space in between, through a dark alley to a small room where the voting took place, without face masks – throwing social distancing and other guidelines to the wind.

Security personnel occasionally asked the voters present to maintain distance.

Similar scenes were witnessed at Government Higher Secondary School in Hariganiwan area – where four polling booths were clubbed, Government Primary School at Haaknaar and Government Middle School at Rayil Gund – which housed seven polling booths. All these polling stations saw rush of people.

The pleas of officials and even mediamen present had no impact on the voters and it seemed the pandemic was a thing of the past.

At the Rayil Gund booth, while dozens of the voters were waiting in line, without maintaining the social distance, several dozens of others were basking in the lawn and without face masks.

Police personnel deployed there blamed the agents of candidates for flouting the guidelines even as they repeatedly asked the people to keep distance and wear face masks.

Fayaz Chopan, a local near the booth, said the excitement of voting trumped the need to follow protocols.

“We do not have many positive cases here, so people are not taking much precaution. And there is excitement among the voters and they are only concerned about the voting right now,” Chopan said.

A stark contrast to other polling stations was Government Higher Secondary School at Gund where the COVID protocols very followed visibly.

At the entry point of the polling station – where six booths were clubbed – an official was sprinkling sanitiser on the hands of everyone who entered inside, while also providing the face masks.

The voters were lined up keeping some distance in between and everyone wore masks. Many polling personnel even wore hand gloves.

An official said it was necessary to follow the protocols for everyone’s safety and the polling staff had stressed on the need to maintain social distance and the use of face masks.

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
MONTHLYRs 100
YEARLYRs 1000
LIFETIMERs 10000

CLICK FOR DETAILS

ShareTweetSendShareShareSend
Previous Post

Centenarian Treks Steep Mountain Path To Vote In Doda

Next Post

‘Polls Are For Local Issues, Not For Bigger Political Problems’

Press Trust of India

Press Trust of India

Related Posts

Kashmir Valley Records 700% Rise in Foreign Tourist Arrivals Post G20 Meet
BUSINESS

Kashmir Valley Records 700% Rise in Foreign Tourist Arrivals Post G20 Meet

India Blasts Pak For Raking Up Kashmir At UN
TOP STORIES

India Blasts Pak For Raking Up Kashmir At UN

Two Doctors Terminated in J&K Over ‘Unauthorised Absence’
TOP STORIES

Two Doctors Terminated in J&K Over ‘Unauthorised Absence’

PM Gives Credit To Women For Passage Of Women's Reservation Bill
TOP STORIES

PM Gives Credit To Women For Passage Of Women’s Reservation Bill

BJP Ready For J&K Assembly Polls: Jitendra Singh
TOP STORIES

BJP Ready For J&K Assembly Polls: Jitendra Singh

10 Arrested For Trying To Vitiate Peaceful Atmosphere Outside Jamia Masjid: Police
CITY

10 Arrested For Trying To Vitiate Peaceful Atmosphere Outside Jamia Masjid: Police

Next Post
‘Polls Are For Local Issues, Not For Bigger Political Problems’

‘Polls Are For Local Issues, Not For Bigger Political Problems’

Imprints of Kashmir Polls: ‘Welfare, Restoration, Tunnel…’

Imprints of Kashmir Polls: ‘Welfare, Restoration, Tunnel…’

Please login to join discussion

Pages

  • ABOUT US
  • ADVERTISE IN KO
  • ARCHIVE
  • BE PART OF QUALITY JOURNALISM
  • CONTACT
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • INTERNSHIPS AT OBSERVER
  • JOBS@KO
  • KO – Homepage
  • MISSION STATEMENT
  • POLICIES
    • COMMENTING GUIDELINES
    • COOKIE POLICY
    • DISCLAIMER
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS
  • Refund Policy
  • Team

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

No Result
View All Result

FOLLOW US

About Us

The media in Kashmir, comprising a robust English and vernacular press has a particularly unenviable job to do. The problems faced by it are both universal to the conflict situations and unique to the region. Read More

Advertising

For Advertising on various Kashmir Observer platforms
contact

[email protected]
+91-194-2502327; +91-1947969705

© 1997 -2023 | KASHMIR OBSERVER LLP

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
    • TOP STORIES
    • LOCAL
    • CITY
    • REGIONAL
    • WORLD
  • IN DEPTH
    • FEATURE
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • OPINION
      • OPINION
      • EDITORIAL
      • KO ANALYSIS
      • LETTERS TO EDITOR
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • INTERVIEW
    • REVIEW
      • BOOKS
    • LONGFORM
  • BUSINESS
    • BUSINESS NEWS
    • MARKET
    • ENERGY
    • HORTICULTURE
    • HANDICRAFTS
    • CARS & BIKES
    • STARTUP KASHMIR
  • SPORT
    • FOOTBAL
    • CRICKET
    • ADVENTURE SPORTS
    • GOLF
    • ATHLETICS
    • SKIING
    • OTHER SPORTS
  • MEDIA
  • PEOPLE
  • CULTURE
    • KHYEN CHYEN
    • ARTS
    • CRAFTS
    • FESTIVALS
    • THEATER
    • LANGAUGE
  • TRAVEL
    • HOUSEBOATS
    • HOTELS
    • ANGLING
    • CAMPING
    • DESTINATION FOCUS
  • SOCIETY
    • EDUCATION
    • HEADS & TAILS
    • GENDER
    • YOUTH
    • CHILD WELFARE
  • LITERATURE
    • SHORT STORY
    • BOOKS
    • NARRATIVE
  • CINEMA
    • CINEMA & TV
  • ePAPERS
    • BAZAAR OBSERVER
    • YOUNG KASHMIR
    • MIZRAB

© 1997 -2023 | KASHMIR OBSERVER LLP