Enforce strictly, take legal action against violators: Centre to states on COVID-19 lockdown

The Centre on Monday asked state governments to strictly enforce the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus and directed legal action against violators.

"States have been asked to strictly enforce the lockdown in the areas where it has been announced. Legal action will be taken against violators," a tweet by Principal Director General of PIB, KS Dhatwalia read.

This comes just an hour after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the public to take the lockdown seriously and urged the state government to ensure that rules and laws are followed.

"Many people are still not taking the lockdown seriously. Please save yourself by doing this, save your family, follow the instructions seriously. I request the state governments to ensure the rules and laws are followed," Modi's tweet, roughly translated from Hindi, read.

The Centre and state governments have decided to completely shut down 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported.

It has also been decided to suspend the interstate bus services till March 31, government officials said on Sunday.

The districts where lockdown was announced are from states that include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The development comes in the view that there is an urgent need to extend restrictions, including the movement of non-essential passenger transport, in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly infection which has already infected nearly 400 people in the country.

Millions of people across the country stayed indoors, streets wore a deserted look and a minimal number of vehicles were on the road on Sunday in an unprecedented shutdown on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for a 'Janata curfew' to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over 13,000 lives worldwide.