Punjab registers 130 FIRs against violators of Covid-19 norms in 24 hours

A total of 130 FIRs were registered against violators of COVID-19 norms in the last 24 hours across the state, Punjab Police has informed.

Police also said that 189 owners of shops, dhabas, ahaatas, hotels, restaurants, clubs were booked for flouting number limits and night curfew timings in the state.

Punjab has imposed a ban on all social, political, religious and cultural gatherings and announced that all malls, shops, markets, bars, cinema halls, gyms, spas, coaching centres and sports complexes in the state will stay closed till April 30.

All weekly markets will also be closed, it said, as per the new guidelines which were issued on Monday. However, the Punjab government said that marriages and wedding functions can be organised but only 20 people would be allowed to attend them.

Night curfew timings across the state are from 8 pm to 5 am, including for weddings. However, all the essential activities including operations of the industry as well as 'to and fro' movement of passengers travelling via air, trains, buses, etc have been exempted from curfew restrictions.

The Punjab government also directed the transport department to restrict the number of passengers in buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws to 50 per cent of the vehicle's capacity.

According to official data, there are as many as 36,709 active COVID-19 cases in Punjab while the cumulative cases in the state have mounted to 2,64,562.