The West Bengal government on Saturday announced a statewide lockdown from Sunday morning till May 30, even though it refrained from terming it a lockdown and announced it as a modified and expanded stricture.
Some other states like Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh extended the restrictions as the national tally of active instances saw a marginal decline.
While all government and non-government establishments will stay closed, movements of trucks and autos carrying goods have also been restricted save these carrying oxygen, health-related gear, fish, milk and eggs and other essentials. Oil tankers, petrol pumps, automobile repairing shops and health-related shops have been exempted. Movement of private and public autos have been barred, except for these carrying patients to and from hospitals.
Inter-state train and bus services, metro services and ferry services have been stopped. State chief secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay stated vegetable market place and groceries would stay open from 6 to 10 am but sweet shops would be permitted to keep open till 5 pm. While all mills and factories will stay closed save these which are below continuous operations, jute mills will run with 30% workforce and tea gardens with 50% in every single shift.
Bandopadhyay stated considering that a lot of people’s livelihood depends on the tea gardens and plucking requires spot at considerable distances without the need of any gathering, tea gardens will not be shut but will function with 50% workforce. Same with the jute mills. A labour intensive sector, it will not totally close down but will work with only 30% workforce to make jute bags for storing grains only.
Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government has asked authorities in all the 28 districts to extend the lockdown till May 31 even as it granted more relaxations in financial and other activities, an official stated.
The lockdown, presently in force in all districts of the state, was set to finish in most regions at May 15 midnight. Bihar, also, has extended the lockdown, which was to finish on May 15, till May 25, even though Maharashtra has currently announced the continuation of lockdown-like restrictions till June.
The national capital, which is below lockdown, recorded 6,430 new instances and 337 fatalities on Saturday even though the positivity price dipped to 11.32%.
MP has imposed ‘Janta curfew’ till May 17 with only critical services permitted, even though districts are authorised to extend it. Gujarat on May 11 extended the evening curfew and other day-time restrictions in 36 cities till May 18. Goa has imposed a curfew from May 9 to May 24.
In South, Kerala has extended a total lockdown from May 8 to May 23. Tamil Nadu is below lockdown from May 10 to May 24. Puducherry has extended lockdown from May 10 to May 24. Telangana has imposed a 10-day lockdown from May 12. Andhra Pradesh has imposed curfew from 12 noon to 6 am till May 18.