562 Stranded Kashmiris Return Home In Six Flights
by Observer News Service
Srinagar: Over five hundred Kashmiris stranded in various parts of the country reached Valley on Monday in six flights, as the domestic flight operations resumed today, two months after Pan-India lockdown was imposed on March 25 to fight coronavirus pandemic.
The arrival of flights started with the landing of Air Asia flight at 7:25am. All passengers who arrived at the airport were thoroughly screened for COVID-19 and their samples taken, an official spokesperson said. He said that elaborate arrangements for the arrival, screening, sampling and dispatch of passengers has been made by the administration.
Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development, Dheeraj Gupta along with Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Tariq Hussain Ganie and other civil and police officials received the flyers.
“The airport has been equipped to receive the passengers strictly following the procedures and guidelines prescribed by the Union Ministries of Civil Aviation and Health and Family Welfare,” the official spokesperson said.
He said that all passengers, on arrival, by air today and for coming days, shall be kept in institutional or home quarantine for prescribed period, sampling will be done of all passengers and test samples will be sent to SKIMS for results.
“Those passengers who test negative shall be sent to home and those testing positive, if any, will be sent to hospital for further treatment,” the spokesperson added.
Speaking on the occasion, Gupta said that for sample collection from the passengers for covid-19, 30 test kiosks have been setup at the airport, besides adequate transport facilities by SRTC have been made available at the airport for these passengers.
Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Tariq Hussain Ganai said seriously ill patients, pregnant women and the passengers suffering from other chronic diseases having symptoms of any other health issue who will be allowed to go for home quarantine.