Uttarakhand goes into lockdown and extends ‘Janta Curfew’ till March 31

Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday ordered the state into a lockdown barring essential services till March 31 to intensify efforts to curb the spread of Coronavirus, said officials.

The chief minister made the announcement on Sunday afternoon after a high-level meeting with the chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, director-general of police Anil Raturi, secretary home Nitesh Jha and secretary for confidential affairs Amit Negi at his residence.

Rawat tweeted, “In order to win this war against Corona, the state has decided to enforce lockdown until 31st March. During this period, all transport- local and interstate- will remain suspended. All the essential services are being kept out of the ambit of this lockdown.”

While speaking to a news agency after the meeting, Rawat said, “People should minimise travelling during the lockdown, they should not rush from the city or village they are living in at present to other places.”

So far 139 people in the state have been tested for Covid-19 including close contacts of positive cases. A total of three people have tested positive for the disease and 107 people have tested negative. The results of 29 people are awaited. The isolation bed facility in the state has been increased to 753 and the quarantine bed facility has increased to 823.

The lockdown will come into effect on Sunday night at 9 pm following which the inter-state border would be closed except for the movement of essential supplies and no public transport including operations of taxis and auto-rickshaws would be allowed within the state. Operations of buses to neighbouring states would be suspended and transport services to hospitals and airports will be allowed only after showing proper documents.

The order also states that, “Shops of all essential supplies like groceries and medicines, fuel stations, administrative offices, offices of electricity, water and municipal services would be opened during the lockdown.”

During the lockdown congregation of more than five people has been prohibited and anyone violating the norms will be booked under section 180 of IPC accordingly.

Earlier on Sunday, while addressing people following the ‘Janta Curfew’, the chief minister had said that the state was ready for any eventuality.

“The restraint that we have introduced to the public today (Sunday) raises a lot of expectations in all of us. In difficult circumstances, all Indians become one: that is our strength. We are also in constant touch with the Central Government. I would like to assure the people of the state that we will not allow any shortage of food grains and medicines and if the need arises, we will work to deliver food and medicines from house to house…” said Rawat.

On Saturday, the secretary for the school education had ordered remaining examinations of the state board for both class 10 and 12 be postponed till further orders.

On Friday, the Uttarakhand government had banned the entry of new tourists, both domestic and foreign, to the state till further orders.