Himachal clamps night curfew in 4 border districts

Night curfew will be imposed in Solan, Sirmaur, Kangra and Una between 10pm to 5am from April 27 to May 10

With virus cases surging across Himachal Pradesh, night curfew will be imposed in Solan, Sirmaur, Kangra and Una — the four districts sharing a border with Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand — between 10pm to 5am from April 27 to May 10.

It was decided that reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests taken at least 72 hours before visiting the state will be made mandatory. (Aqil Khan /HT Representative Photo)

The call was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur at his official residence Oakover on Sunday. Urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj, technical education and tribal development minister Ram Lal Markanda, health minister Dr Rajiv Saizal, forests minister Rakesh Pathania, chief secretary Anil Khachi, additional chief secretary Prabodh Saxena, health secretary Amitabh Awasthi were in attendance.

It was decided that reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests taken at least 72 hours before visiting the state will be made mandatory. In case, a person visiting the state has not undergone the test, they will have to remain quarantined at their place of residence for fourteen days, with the option of getting themselves tested after seven days.

Local bodies, in both urban and rural areas, will be roped in to ensure effective implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines in their respective areas. They will be empowered to initiate legal action against violators.

A special task force will be constituted at the local level to ensure enforcement of SOPs at all religious, social, political and cultural gatherings.