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No restriction on movement of residents from 5am to 9pm within district on weekends: Ludhiana admn
WEEKEND LOCKDOWN: The shops, selling essential commodities, have been allowed to open till 7pm everyday, but non-essential shops will open till 5pm only on Saturdays and gazetted holidays
There will be no restriction on the movement of residents from 5am to 9pm within the district on Saturdays and Sundays under the new order on stricter lockdown issued by the state government on Friday.
Clarifying the fresh lockdown order, the administration announced that there would, however, be restrictions on the opening of non-essential shops on weekends, Saturdays and Sundays.
The administration has, in a press release, clarified that the shops, selling essential commodities, have been allowed to open till 7pm everyday, but non-essential shops would open till 5pm only on Saturdays and gazetted holidays. The non-essential shops, including standalone shops or those in shopping malls, shall remain closed on Sundays.
However, restaurants (only for take-home/home delivery) and liquor vends can operate till 8pm on all days.
E-PASS FOR INTER-DISTRICT MOVEMENT
The release said residents will have to obtain an e-pass for inter-district movement on weekends and gazetted holidays, which would be issued only for essential work. No pass would be required for inter-district movement in case of a medical emergency. No restrictions have also been imposed on movement of vehicles carrying goods.
The residents will also have to obtain an e-pass for organising functions on all the days and the pass would be issued for 50 specific persons.
As per the orders issued by the state government, in addition to the Sunday closure, the deputy commissioner (DC) may choose, in consultation with the respective market associations, to order closure of the non-essential shops on any other day of the week also, especially in the high-risk areas where the number of Covis-19 cases is high.
Appealing to residents, commissioner of police (CP) Rakesh Agrawal said, “If the public cooperates with the administration, then we will not have to impose more restrictions. Residents should remain inside their homes till it is necessary to move out. If possible, only a single member of the family should move out to purchase the goods and all the guidelines issued by the administration should be followed”
Agrawal also went live on Ludhiana Police’s Facebook page to apprise the residents about the restrictions imposed by the administration.
PANIC BUYING AT GROCERY STORES
After the state government announced stricter lockdown on weekdays in the state, a huge rush of residents was witnessed at grocery stores across the city as residents went for panic-buying, throwing caution to the wind.
A grocery store owner in Jawahar Nagar camp, Charanjeet Singh, said, “Residents went for panic buying on Friday after the announcement was made by the state government on Thursday. Long queues were witnessed outside grocery stores.”
Rumours are also making rounds on social networks that the government might again announce a complete lockdown or curfew in the state due to a large number of positive coronavirus cases being reported. However, the administration has appealed to residents not to resort to panic buying.
There has been no restriction on the industry under the latest lockdown order.
