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UP mulls rigorous curbs in 20 districts with more than 600 active cases
UP government’s new guidelines say all markets and shops in districts with less than 600 active cases can stay open from 7am to 7pm on weekdays while strictly following Covid safety protocols.
The Uttar Pradesh government said it was considering rigorous enforcement of existing Covid-19 restrictions in 20 districts with more than 600 active Covid cases. Meerut with 2,806 active cases and Deoria with 612, were the worst and the least worst-affected districts in this group. Lucknow had 2,450 active cases as on Sunday, when the latest figures were released by the state health department.
The other districts among this group of 20 were Saharanpur, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sonbhadra, Jaunpur, Bagpat, Moradabad, Ghazipur and Bijnor.
“The state government is considering rigorous enforcement of existing restrictions in 20 districts so that cases there fall soon,” said a state government official.
Additional chief secretary (Home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said: “Now, the districts are competing to bring down active cases below 600. Two district magistrates have said they will possibly bring down the number of active cases in their districts within a day.”
While ordering the easing of the partial corona curfew, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said active Covid cases in the state had declined by 87% in a month’s time.
State government’s new guidelines say all markets and shops in districts with less than 600 active cases can stay open from 7am to 7pm on weekdays while strictly following Covid safety protocols. However, daily night curfew and weekend closure of shops/businesses will continue across the state. Shopping malls, cinema halls, gyms, coaching institutes, swimming pools and clubs too will stay closed.
Vegetable mandis (wholesale markets) will be allowed to open, but those in heavily populated areas will have to operate from less congested spaces, the order said. Railway stations, airports, roadways and bus stations will stay open while following protocols such as Covid screening and antigen testing.
While Restaurants have been allowed to open only for home deliveries, roadside (highway and expressway) dhabas, vendors and kiosks will be allowed to function.
A maximum limit of 25 guests has been fixed for all marriage functions; similarly no more than 20 persons will be allowed in funeral processions; while only five persons will be allowed inside religious places at a given time.
Schools, colleges, education institutions will continue to stay closed, however, teaching and non-teaching staff will be allowed to go to their institutes for administrative work. Banks, insurance companies, and similar financial institutions will also be allowed to function without restrictions. Full attendance has been allowed in government offices that also employ Covid-19 frontline staff, however, only 50% attendance is allowed in other government offices. Private companies have been allowed to open their offices but will have to promote work from home culture. All industrial institutions will also be allowed to function and staff movement will be allowed with valid identity cards, the order said.
On the transport front, state transport buses have been allowed to operate within the state with passengers limited to the prescribed seating capacity. Two, three and four-wheelers have been allowed with a pillion rider, two and four passengers respectively.
Eggs, meat, fish shops have been allowed to function apart from a nod to all agriculture related work and establishments. All construction activities have also been allowed.
