M S Nazki
The authorities have established containment zones in Badhaal village of Rajouri where 17 people have died under mysterious circumstances in less than two months.
In an order issued by the District Magistrate Rajouri, Section 163 of BNSS has been imposed as part of “Containment Strategy and Surveillance Measures for Affected Families and Close Contacts in Badhal, Tehsil Khawas, District Rajouri”.
In view of the recent health situation in the Badhal area and to curb the further “spread of infection”, “Containment Zones” have been established and as part of it, all families where deaths have occurred have been declared as “Containment Zone”.
“The houses of these affected families shall be sealed and entry will be totally restricted for all individuals including their family members, unless otherwise authorized by the designated officers/officials.”
All families identified as close contacts of affected individuals shall be declared as Containment Zone 2, the order reads further. All individuals from these families have been ordered to be shifted to GMC Rajouri for continuous health monitoring and same has been made “mandatory”.
(All Households of Badhal Village have been declared “Containment Zone 3”
“Staff will be deployed to ensure the continuous monitoring of food consumption,” the order reads, adding, “Police personnel will be stationed to enforce compliance with the consumption of replaced food item under observation.”
Designated officers will ensure that a log book is maintained, recording every instance of food distribution and consumption, it reads.
“The entries will be made in the said log book three times a day and each entry must be signed by the monitoring officer for accountability purpose.”
Also all public and private gatherings have been prohibited within the jurisdiction of these containment zones, in order to prevent further spread of the infection.
The Magistrate has also ordered monitoring of Food and Water by directing that the designated officials (already identified by the administration) shall be responsible for monitoring all meals provided to families in containment zones.
The order comes a day after Chief Secretary held a meeting of the Divisional and District administrations along with Health experts and Police Department to take assessment of the measures taken so far to identify the “real causes” behind the mysterious deaths reported from Badhal.
During this meeting the Chief Secretary had impressed upon the concerned from Health and Police Departments to take stringent “containment” measures in consultation with the Divisional administration to ensure that there is no further loss of any life. He also advised the concerned to frame a proper SOP for monitoring the population of the village.
This order also comes as an inter-ministerial team led by MHA is undertaking an inquiry to unravel the disease that has already claimed the lives of 17 persons from three families.
On December 7 last, five people including four children, died of a mysterious illness after they fell ill after taking a community meal. On December 12, a woman and three children died due to an unknown illness.
On January 9, Mohammad Aslam’s six children fell ill, and all of them succumbed to it. The maternal uncle and aunt who lived with Aslam also died last week.
