India / J&K to ease limit on gatherings on Aug 15 for Independence Day celebrations

Sri Nagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday temporarily relaxed the ongoing 25-person ceiling on indoor and outdoor gatherings, which had been imposed to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, to facilitate Independence Day celebrations in Union Territory.

While the ceiling on public gatherings was relaxed, district officials have been asked to ensure that Covid-appropriate behaviour is followed.

An order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir State Executive Committee and chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta said that while the maximum number of people permitted to attend any indoor or outdoor gathering shall remain restricted to 25. This ceiling “will be temporarily relaxed on August 15 only on account of Independence Day celebrations, subject to Covid-appropriate behaviour. ”

The order added that night curfew will continue to remain in force in all the districts from 8pm to 7am.

Though Covid cases in J&K continue to remain low, there has been a slight increase in daily cases, which had pushed the active cases over 1,400 on August 7 from a low of around 1,100 on July 27.

This week, the daily cases have mostly hovered between 118 and 150, which is an increase from a low of 63 recorded on July 23.

The order also said that Covid-containment measures should be continued in all the districts “in view of the uneven trend in daily cases”. .