Coronavirus: No immediate curfew relaxation in Chandigarh

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown in the entire country, the Chandigarh administration on Tuesday decided not to give any relaxation in curfew for the time being and said some essential items will be supplied to residents door to door.

The UT administration had earlier decided to relax the curfew clamped in Chandigarh to check the spread of coronavirus. But after the prime minister's appeal to the nation to remain indoors, the administration decided against it.

"The prime minister has ordered a nationwide 21-day lockdown in entire country. Keeping this in view, the Chandigarh administration which was earlier planning to give four-hour relaxation Sector-wise that decision has been postponed now," Manoj Parida, adviser to the UT Administrator, said on Tuesday night.

Parida reviewed the availability of essential items and it was assured that milk supply and newspapers will be provided to each house every morning throughout the curfew period.

It was also decided that in the sector markets the ration store, fruit & vegetable shop and medical store will be used as points for organizing door-to-door delivery.

In periphery areas of the city, packed ration, fruits, vegetables, etc. will be provided door to doorat fixed prices using mobile vans.

"We want that people should stay indoors. Vegetables, medicines, ration, we have sufficient stocks, so there is no need to worry," Parida said.

As regarding the senior citizens staying without assistance, provision for home delivery of medicines has also been assured, he said.

Moreover, chemist shops in the city have already been allowed to open throughout the curfew duration, he said.

Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT Chandigarh V P Singh Badnore presided over a review meeting through video-conferencing with all the senior officers and reviewed the situation during the curfew period.

He gave directions to the officials to maintain strictness during curfew and ensure that there is no unnecessary crowd or congestion anywhere on the streets.

He directed the police to be strictly implement the orders. However, relaxation on case-by-case basis and on humanitarian grounds is to be given to people for emergency medical work, wherever required, an official statement quoting Badnore said.

Meanwhile, people in the city kept to their homes as the curfew came into force on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to implement the restrictions.

Government employees tasked with emergency and essential services were, however, allowed to attend their duties on production of official ID cards.

Chandigarh has so far reported seven positive coronavirus cases. The cricket stadium in sector 16, the home ground of legendary cricketer Kapil Dev, and the sports complex in Manimajra have been declared as temporary jails till prohibitory orders remain in place, keeping in view the urgencies due to the outbreak of COVID-19, an order issued by Chandigarh's Home department said.