E-Paper
HC wants curbs in 5 UP cities; not possible: Govt
The court’s directive came on a day on when UP recorded 167 deaths and 28,287 fresh Covid-19 cases. The state capital alone saw 22 deaths and 5,897 fresh cases.
The Allahabad high court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to strictly enforce closure of all establishments (government or private) in Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur till April 26 in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases.
While the court clarified that it was not imposing a complete lockdown in the entire state by its order, the Yogi Adityanath government asserted that there will not be any “imposition of statewide lockdown or any fresh restrictions in the five cities (Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur City, and Gorakhpur)”.
“There should be no confusion. The high court has asked us to consider. We have considered. There will be no statewide lockdown or any fresh restrictions in the five cities mentioned by the HC,” a state government spokesperson said.
“In the context of the honourable high court, we say that coronavirus cases are rising in the state and strictness and control are necessary. The government has already taken several steps and will do so in the future. Saving lives is a priority but so is saving the livelihood of the poor. Thus, the cities will have no lockdown as of now. People themselves [are] proactive and doing closures,” the spokesperson added.
Additional chief secretary (information) Navneet Sehgal said, “The UP government is submitting its reply before the HC on its observations.”
The government’s statement came hours after a bench comprising justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar passed the order in a suo motu public interest litigation on conditions of quarantine centres in the state and the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
“We... direct the government to consider imposition of a complete lockdown in the entire state for at least a period of two weeks,” the bench said.
The court’s directive came on a day on when UP recorded 167 deaths and 28,287 fresh Covid-19 cases. The state capital alone saw 22 deaths and 5,897 fresh cases.
Financial institutions and departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services, including municipal functions, and public transport will be exempted from the closure ordered by the court till April 26.
Also read: Two top poll panel officials test Covid-19 positive
The court further asked the state government to ensure that grocery shops and other commercial shops, excluding medicine shops, with more than three workers shall remain closed till April 26. Likewise, all malls, shopping complexes, restaurants and eateries shall remain closed till then.
Further, all religious places shall also remain closed for the period and no social function, except weddings, should be allowed, the court said.
In case of a wedding, a gathering of 25 people can be allowed with the permission of the district magistrate concerned.
Vegetable and milk vendors will be allowed to sell goods on the road only till 11am and all public movement on roads will be restricted completely subject to these directions.
Public movement was also permitted by the court in case of medical treatment and emergencies.
During the hearing, the court was informed that the state government was taking steps to increase beds for patients.
