AGARTALA, July 15 - Amid the spurt in COVID-19 positive cases which have crossed the 2,094 mark in Tripura, the State Government has decided to imposed �total lockdown� within one kilometre radius of rural areas and 0.5 km radius of municipal areas from the international border with Bangladesh from July 17 next. The lockdown will remain in force for seven days.
Tripura Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar said that the spread of COVID-19 cases in the border areas has posed a major threat to public health, hygiene and safety of people. �It is also felt that unless stringent measures are put in place to contain the spread of the pandemic, there is a chance of large-scale spread of COVID-19 in the population which is likely to cause loss of human life,� said an order issued by Kumar.
As the Chairman of the State Executive Committee of the Tripura State Disaster Management Authority and in exercise of powers conferred under Section 22 (2) (h) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Chief Secretary has enforced the total lockdown in the border areas.
Movement of individuals will remain strictly prohibited except during emergency in the lockdown-bound areas. All government and private offices will remain closed except those exempted. All kinds of business and commercial establishments, shops and trade institutions will not be allowed to function except those dealing in essential goods like grocery, medicines, etc.
All industrial activities, public transport and movement of private vehicles have been banned. Hotels and hospitality services, all educational institutions, places of worship, religious congregations and all social, political, cultural and religious functions will not be permitted in the lockdown-bound areas.
The Chief Secretary also issued another order for enforcement of restrictions in government offices including those of government bodies, public sector undertakings, subordinate and attached offices, etc., with regard to official meetings, compulsory use of face masks, hand sanitizers, etc.
Meanwhile, the Tripura Government has decided to increase COVID-19 tests to check possible community transmission of the virus. �The Health Department has been asked to conduct at least 7,000 tests on a daily basis and more manpower has been engaged for capacity building. Four RT-PCR machines are functioning in the GBP Hospital and two more will be installed,� said a senior official here today.
