Community kitchen banned in Himachal's Shimla till Mar 31

Community kitchen has been banned in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district till March 31 in order to check the spread of coronavirus, a district official said on Monday.

No confirmed COVID-19 case has been reported in Himachal Pradesh so far.

Shimla Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap said in order to mitigate the COVID-19 threat in the district, no langar and bhandara will be held till 31 March.

The DC further said no conference, event, rally or protest will be organised in the district till March 31.

Also,no massage centre, spa, swimming pool and gym will operate in the district till March 31, he added.

The DC said the managing director of the HRTC will ensure that all public and private buses operating in the district are sanitised with prescribed disinfectants at regular intervals.

The Transport Department will sensitise their drivers, conductors and cleaners through their staff and necessary advisory will be displayed at the bus stands and inside buses and taxi, he added.

The DC further stated that the Director, Tourism, will ensure proper precautionary measures are taken by all hotels, homestay units to control the COVID-19 outbreak.

All tourists coming from abroad will furnish their information on the prescribed self-declaration formats, he added.

The DC directed the Beopar Mandals to implement the directions being given for maintaining cleanliness.

Kashyap said Section 51 of the National Disaster Management Act provides for penal action in case a person obstructs any officer or employee in discharge of his functions or refuses to comply with the directions.