TURA/JOWAI, May 20: Taking a cue from spiraling COVID-19 cases in the state besides several deaths being reported from Garo Hills alone within the last few days, West Garo Hills district administration on Thursday imposed total curfew in the district with effect from 2 pm of May 21 till 5 am of June 1 in a bid to check further spread of the virus.
Following West Garo Hills, the district administration of West Jaintia Hills also promulgated total curfew in the district starting Friday. However, in West Jaintia Hills the curfew order kicks in from 6 pm of May 21.
On the other hand, while one person died in Williamnagar on Wednesday as per reports, another lost his life to the virus in West Garo Hills on Thursday.
To check the further spread of the virus, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, in an order, has completely prohibited interdistrict movement of persons, while also issuing an advisory for citizens that no person should step out of their homes without valid reasons. As per the order, vehicles plying without passes will be liable for strict penalties including arrest for defiance of the same.
The fresh order also restricted funeral gatherings to ten persons only with prior permission from the concerned authority. The order also stated that all passes for activities not permitted in the fresh order will be revoked with effect from 2 pm of May 21.
The District Magistrate of West Jaintia Hills, in a separate order, said that interstate movement of persons has been restricted. However, it does not apply for transit vehicles of Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram and they are not permitted to park the vehicles at any villages along the NH-6 (earlier NH-44) under West Jaintia Hills. Interdistrict or intradistrict movement of people has also been restricted.
Both orders, however, exempt police, security and armed forces, health and medical teams, movement of essential goods, MeECL, Fire and Emergency services, home delivery services etc.
