Gurugram among 9 Haryana districts under weekend lockdown beginning today

Gurugram, Panchkula, Faridabad, Sonipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa, and Fatehabad have been put under lockdown beginning Friday 10pm, till 5am on Monday

The Haryana government on Friday announced Gurugram as one of the nine districts across the state to be put under a weekend lockdown from 10pm on Friday till 5am on Monday.

Police deployed at Sector 15 road during night curfew imposed to check the spread of coronavirus disease, near Jharsa Chowk, in Gurugram.

The other districts are: Panchkula, Faridabad, Sonipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa, and Fatehabad.The weekend lockdown order was issued by Vijay Vardhan, chief secretary and chairperson of the Haryana State Executive Committee, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

“Whereas, the Covid-19 pandemic is again posing threat to public health, the Haryana government has considered it necessary to take effective measures to prevent its spread in the state,” excerpts from the order read.

The order states that general public are not allowed to leave their homes, travel on foot or vehicles on the streets or any public places during this time period.

The Covid-19 situation has been grim in the city, especially over the past three weeks, with acute shortage of Covid-19 hospitals beds, oxygen, and medicines.

Before April 11, the highest single-day Covid-19 recorded cases was 964 on November 8 last year. Since then, the city’s Covid-19 cases have been continuously surging, with Gurugram recording 5,042 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, as per the district administration’s daily health bulletin, the highest single-day figure since the pandemic started.

As per Vardhan’s order, only those tasked with law and order, municipal services, health, electricity, fire, government machinery tasked with Covid-19 related duties, executive magistrates, police personnel, military, Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), accredited journalist are allowed movement provided they show their identify cards.

For general public, movement for appearing in examination, those on examination duties on production of admit or identity cards, those engaged in manufacture of essential goods are also exempted.

Vardhan’s order further stated that there will no curb on movement of inter-state and intra-state essential and non-essential goods.

“Hospitals, veterinary hospitals and all related medical establishments, including their manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector, such as dispensaries, chemist, pharmacies (including Jan Aushadhi Kendra) and medical equipment shops, laboratories, pharmaceutical research labs, clinics, nursing homes, ambulance will continue to remain functional. The transportation of all medical personnel, nurses, paramedical, other hospital support services will be permitted,” it says.

Under the commercial and private establishment category, those engaged in telecommunications, internet services, broadcasting and cable services staff, IT services; delivering essential goods, including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment; petrol pumps, LPG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets are also exempted along with people deputed in power generation, transmission and distribution units and services, cold storage and warehousing services, private security services, and farming activity.