Curfew restrictions to be eased for 6 hours Thursday
TURA: The administration in West Garo Hills district has announced a brief relaxation of its four day curfew for the public to be able to procure essential food items on Thursday.
“Relaxation from 7 AM to 1 PM on Thursday is being given in the entire district only for groceries, vegetables and meat items for the public to be able to purchase from shops. However, only one member per household will be allowed to come out to buy necessary items and they will have to keep a social distance of one meter from one another,” informed West Garo Hills deputy commissioner Ram Singh to The Shillong Times on Wednesday evening.
The district administration in each of the five Garo Hills districts imposed curfew from Tuesday night until March 28 6 AM. However, the restriction on people coming out of their homes will continue to be in place for 21 days, up to April 14, as part of the three week lock down announced all over the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevent spread of the novel corona virus infection.
The two simultaneous orders for a shutdown has brought life to a standstill in the state with citizens grappling with scarcity of essential items.
Shockingly, traders engaged in providing essential food items failed to open their stores even though guidelines clearly state that they do not fall in th restricted group.
Only pharmacies were found open in Tura and Williamnagar during the first day of the curfew on Wednesday.
“We are soon going to take a call on lifting some of the restrictions to allow citizens to be able to purchase groceries in East Garo hills district,” informed deputy commissioner Swapnil Tembe.
Under the imposition of curfew, the movement of general public and private motor vehicles have been strictly prohibited in the districts.
The curfew is being imposed in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country and to ensure home quarantine and maintain social distance of people which is in strict compliance to the adversaries issued by the state government set as preventive measures against the likely spread of the disease in the district. However, the following categories of services and departments are exempted from the purview of the curfew.
Exempted from curfew: Security Forces, Medical Teams on duty, Wholesale & Retail Pharmacies, Police & Arm Forces, Fire & Emergency Service, Me.PDCL, Food & Civil Supplies department, FCI, PWD, PHE, Meghalaya Directorate of Diary Dept, Tura Municipal Board, Telecom, Telegraph Communication & IT Services, NIC, Print & Electronic Media, essential services including Health Services, LPG Deliveries, Online Food Deliveries, Online Services Delivery, courier services.
Also, movement of vehicles carrying essential commodities, security forces, medical equipment and goods vehicles are exempted. However, the drivers and attendants of the vehicle shall be subjected to medical screening as per laid down protocol. The water tankers are also to obtain prior permission from the office of the District Magistrate.
Prohibited during curfew: The West Garo Hills District Magistrate under 144 Cr. P C has issued orders against holding of classes and closure of all educational, training, research, coaching institutions, closure of all religious places and congregation of people therefore, holdings of all forms of meetings, cultural, educational and entertainments events including marriage ceremonies and birthday parties. However, in case of funeral, congregation of people not more 20 (twenty) are allowed. This prohibition shall be applicable in the entire length and breadth of West Garo Hills district with immediate effect, the District Magistrate said.
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