Markets, shops selling non-essentials to shut from 6pm

All markets and shops selling non-essential items will shut from 6pm starting Friday, state home minister Anil Vij said in an interaction with media persons on Thursday, adding that the order will be implemented in concurrence with the ongoing night curfew

All markets and shops selling non-essential items will shut from 6pm starting Friday, state home minister Anil Vij said in an interaction with media persons on Thursday, adding that the order will be implemented in concurrence with the ongoing night curfew.

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With Covid-19 cases rising unabated — the district recording 3,553 new infections and 10 deaths on Thursday — permissions have to be taken for functions and social gatherings from subdistrict magistrates concerned, Vij said.

“To curb the spread of Covid-19, we can either impose a lockdown or enforce safety protocols strictly. As we have reiterated that a lockdown would not be imposed, we decided that all shops should shut at 6pm,” said Vij, who is also the health minister for the state.

Even as detailed orders from the state government are awaited, the Gurugram police confirmed that directions in this regard were issued in a meeting chaired by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, held with officials of district administrations and police on Thursday. “We will ensure the compliance of the directions issued by the government in this matter,” said Subash Boken, public relations officer, Gurugram police.

In the interaction with the media, Vij said that the Covid-19 safeguards must be implemented strictly to ensure that economic activities are not affected. “I have asked the home department, urban local bodies department, industries and other departments to enforce mask discipline and social distancing strictly,” Vij said.

Stating that more than half of the cases in the state were reported from Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonepat, Vij said that 800 Covid-19 beds will be added to facilities in Gurugram and a nodal officer would be appointed to ensure there is no shortage of oxygen and other equipment.

The health minister also refuted allegations that Haryana was denying oxygen supply to any state. “We are following the allocation made by the Central government, by which 140 metric tonnes (MT) of oxygen will be supplied to Delhi, 80 MT to Haryana and 50 MT to Punjab,” said Vij.