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Total lockdown in Kamrup Metro from June 28 night

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 26 - Not left with �any other options�, the State government has decided to enforce a complete lockdown in Kamrup Metro district for 14 days from Sunday night as well as impose night curfew from 7 pm to 7 am across the State from Saturday and weekend lockdowns in towns and municipal areas till the COVID-19 situation improves.

Only pharmacies and hospitals will operate during the 14-day lockdown in the city besides a few emergency services. Groceries, vegetables shops, meat and fish outlets and e-commerce also will remain closed.

�We have been forced to take the tough decision and we are taking it with lot of pain. We are left with no other option,� Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, citing the rampant violations of COVID-19 prevention guidelines by citizens as well as business establishments.

Maintaining that less than 10 per cent of the people are wearing masks, Sarma said gatherings in places like restaurants, truck stands, etc., are gradually increasing and the situation in Guwahati is like no other city in the country.

Both government and private offices will be shut during the lockdown. There will be no public transport. Banks will operate with skeleton staff and only emergency services will be exempted.

�After seven days, we will review the situation and take a call if relaxations need to be given for the remaining seven days,� Sarma said.

The night curfew hours have been extended and it will be imposed from 7 pm to 7 am across the State from Saturday till the situation eases.

�There will be weekend lockdown (Saturdays and Sundays) in all town and municipality areas from now on until further orders. This is being done to ensure that the COVID-19 cases do not spike in other places like Guwahati,� he said.

The number of positive cases detected in Guwahati from June 15 till yesterday was 762, of which 677 do not have any travel history, the Minister informed.

On an average, the State is now getting around 250 positive cases every day, and half of them are from Guwahati.

�Yesterday, of the total 276 positive cases detected in the State, 133 were from Guwahati alone,� he said. Today, of the total 273 positive cases detected in the State, 203 were from Guwahati.

There are 890 hospital beds in the city and the Health Department is coming with a 800-bedded makeshift hospital at the Khanapara field to treat asymptomatic patients and it is expected to be ready in a couple of days time. During the lockdown, the COVID Counselling Centres at the wards will remain open.

Prohibited Activities

� Movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited in the specified area.

� All government offices, offices of autonomous/subordinate offices and private offices shall remain closed;

� All business/commercial establishments, shops and trade activities shall remain closed;

� All industrial establishments shall remain closed;

� All public transport services shall remain suspended

� Movement of all private vehicles is banned;

� All hospitality services shall remain suspended;

� All educational, research, training, coaching institutions shall remain closed;

� All places of worship shall remain closed for public. No religious congregation will be permitted without any exception;

� All social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions, gathering shall be barred;

� Not more than 20 persons will be permitted in case of funerals;

� All non-essential and avoidable movement of people shall be banned;

� Spitting in public places is banned and will be punishable with fine, as may be prescribed by the local authority in accordance with its laws, rules or regulations.

� Consumption and sale of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco etc.in public places are prohibited.

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