Authorities in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir withdrew within hours a controversial order making it mandatory for persons above 45 to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 to collect their government ration. An order issued by the Assistant Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Bandipora, earlier in the day had asked consumers above 45 to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 or forego their ration.
“Please remember that without producing covid-19 vaccination certificate, ration will not be issued in any case,” the order said.
However, it was withdrawn within hours.
“The public notice…wherein it was inadvertently made mandatory for persons aged45 and above to vaccinate themselves against COVID-19 for the collection of ration, is hereby withdrawn ab-initio,” the assistant director said in another order.
He requested the general public to “kindly follow all the mandatory Covld-19 SoPs to fight the virus”. The Centre had from April 1 allowed people above 45 to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.