Irfan A Mir
Srinagar Mar 22, (KNS): Amid the growing numbers of Corona Virus suspects in Valley, Government is mulling to convert Centaur hotel into quarantine center. However the request was turned down on Sunday by the hotel administration due to residential accommodation of higher officials and their families in the premises.
Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), sources said that as hundreds of Kashmiri’s temporarily residing outside state and abroad for educational and trade purposes, are reaching Valley amid Corona Virus scare, authorities are mulling to convert Centaur hotel into quarantine center.
They said, administration has already specified sixty-four quarantine centers in Srinagar and adjoining areas where hundreds of suspected persons having travel history are kept into isolation. Sources said suspected persons are being thoroughly monitored and investigated in isolation centers by professional medical teams as per the government’s protocol.
They said as the number of suspects has gone high from couple of days, J&K administration has requested administration of Centaur hotel to vacate the premises for time being so that a full-fledged quarantine centre is established here.
An official of Centaur hotel told KNS that the request of the administration was turned down as several families of higher officials are residing here.
“We don’t want to put lives of several families in risk. There are other pollution free areas where quarantine centers could be established”, official said.
He added, “Government should refrain from establishing quarantine centers in congested area like Srinagar city. It would be best if such centers will come up in isolated places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and others”.
He further said authorities recently communicated us for the purpose but we rejected its request on several reasons.
“We clarified that hotel authority don’t want to put lives of families into risk and it is why plea of administration was turned down”, he said.
He added the hotel authorities put up several suggestions to government in establishing quarantine centers.
“Government should identify isolated places and refrain from congested areas which are prone for viruses like COVID-19”, he said. (KNS)