Jammu & Kashmir: Ahead of issuance of new guidelines for easing out the corona lockdown, in a surprise move J&K administration on Sunday declared all districts except Ganderbal and Bandipora as Red Zones in Kashmir in view of a surge in coronavirus cases.


In an order issued by Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam, giving a detailed review of the current COVID situation in Jammu and Kashmir has decided to continue the new Categorisation of the Red, Orange and Green districts.

The order was issued after the survey was conducted throughout the union territory with the Financial Commissioner, Health; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu/Kashmir and other officers as observers.

“The trend in new cases particularly the recent spread/ spike in new cases in view of the continuous movement of stranded/other persons travelling to J&K and between provinces/ districts were treated as benchmarks for the survey.

The risk perception of the Health department vis-a-vis each district and the need to control further spread of COV1D-19 was discussed,” the order reads.

“Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred under section 24 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the State Executive Committee, hereby orders that the classification of districts into Red, Orange and Green categories for Jammu and Kashmir.

Red Zone: All districts of Kashmir province except Ganderbal and Bandipora and Ramban district of Jammu province.

ORANGE Zone: Kathua, Samba, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Reasi, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu.

GREEN Zone: Doda and Kishtwar except for Containment one on the National Highway which will be a RED/Containment Zone with a 500 metre buffer,” it reads.