All educational institutes, stadiums in Srinagar to be shut from tomorrow amid coronavirus scare; mayor says decision 'unavoidable'

Srinagar: All educational institutions, stadiums and sports clubs in Srinagar will be closed from Thursday till further orders amid the coronavirus scare, the city administration has said. The order is a precautionary measure and “an unavoidable decision” to allow the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to plan, sterilize and sanitize schools and colleges, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu said on Wednesday. “Under a special set of statutory provisions, SMC has ordered the closure of all educational institutions, public clubs, sports clubs, indoor and open stadiums, coaching centres within Srinagar city limits till further orders,” he said. The order came after a special emergency resolution passed unanimously under the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, he said. The mayor chaired an emergency session of the Municipal Corporation, which unanimously approved a number of emergency measures and grant of special powers to its commissioner to ensure that the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir is fully prepared, cautious and safe. The mayor said the Corporation will procure 1,000 full quarantine body kits and spraying machines and all public, as well as private hospitals, will go into heightened sanitation mode. The Corporation also ordered the cancellation of all sports events within its limits and phased segregation of flea markets, including weekly markets, with an immediate effect. It has also issued an advisory asking people to desist shopping, especially eatables and garments, from roadside vendors. He said these directions have been necessitated due to the severity of the novel coronavirus and the importance of taking cent per cent precautions.