Jammu, June 2: A day after its opening following the easing of lockdown restrictions, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology (SKUAST) here was closed for one week after two employees tested positive of coronavirus.
The decision to close the varsity was taken after panic-stricken teaching and non-teaching staff members raised this demand. Two employees of the university, including one Junior Research Fellow (JRF) of the Division of Entomology, tested positive.
“I have spoken to the top level officers of the University and decided to close the University till 7th of June, 2020 for carrying out massive sanitization drive and awareness,” Vice Chancellor, Prof R K Gupta, stated in a letter. “Officers of the university, administrative staff, HoDs, heads of the various units and those involved in essential services and COVID-19 Team shall continue to perform urgent and essential duties along with volunteers,” Gupta added.
“All Heads of the different units are directed to carry out massive sanitization drive and awareness during this period involving house keeping staff and volunteers under the supervision and support of COVID-19 team and to their utmost satisfaction. The situation will be reassessed before opening of the university on 8th June,” he added.
“A Class-IV employee of the Division of Entomology tested positive on Monday and came into contact with many employees,” a senior functionary of SKUAST told media. “Instead of taking the matter seriously, the higher-ups of the university have adopted casual approach.”
A source said that after getting a report that one JRF had tested positive, university authorities failed to take precautionary measures. “The higher-ups argued that JRF got infected at Rajasthan so there was no need to be worried,” a source said. “Instead of going for testing of all contacts of the JRF, authorities issued an order on Sunday to open the university.”
