JAMMU, MARCH 24: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed the authorities of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to enforce their notifications/instructions/orders regarding all disclosures including travel history; quarantining and isolation stringently and take strict measures to ensure that all requirements are strictly enforced for containing the spread of coronavirus disease.

Hearing a PIL through video conferencing from Srinagar, the coram of Chief Justice, Gita Mittal and Justice Sindhu Sharma in its order said that Judicial notice can be taken of the several complaints being made in the electronic and the print media with regard to persons who are concealing their foreign travel history, in order to escape the mandatory quarantine, even though they are required to disclose their travel history. “Some of such persons have been found to be infected and huge public resources have been expended on tracking, not only these persons, but their several contacts during the period upto their detection,” the order read.

The High Court has also directed the BSNL to ensure that every effort is made to operationalize the video conferencing facilities in all the Courts within the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh at the earliest possible.

The Court directed the Secretary, PHE to look into the water supply roster and ensure an equitable distribution of water to all residents of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Similar examination may be undertaken in the Union Territory of Ladakh as well for maintaining proper hygiene, the order read.

The Department of Social Welfare was directed to ensure that best possible care is given to Old Age Homes, Observation Homes, Nari Niketans, Bal Ashrams, Orphanages, Blind schools and other such institutions.