Chandigarh Administration on Friday decided not to impose weekend lockdown in the city but instead impose daily curfew from 9 pm to 5 am. No gathering or non-essential travel will be allowed in the city during this period and the popular Sukhna Lake will remain closed on weekends.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore in Chandigarh. Recently, the weekend curfew had been enforced in the city in view of the increasing Covid cases but traders were not happy with the decision.
Meanwhile, the Administrator reviewed the overall corona situation and expressed serious concern about the increasing number of corona cases. He directed KK Yadav, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation and Mandip Singh Brar, Deputy Commissioner to intensify testing and contact tracing of home isolation and timely medical treatment.
He also reviewed the status of availability of oxygen in all medical institutions and expressed satisfaction that there is no shortage of oxygen in the city.
He directed the Health Department to monitor the availability of life saving drugs in the city and to ensure that there is no black-marketing of such medicines. The Administrator also directed the Inspector General of Prisons to organize a special camp for testing and vaccines of all eligible inmates in Burial Jail.
It was decided in the meeting that the Estate Office, Sub-Registrar Office & RLA Office, where several cases of corona infection have been detected will remain closed for a week (till April 30).
Keeping in view the risk of spread of infection in hostels, all educational institutions were directed to ensure that only those students should be allowed to stay, where such need is essential and unavoidable.
The Museums, Libraries, Spa etc. will continue to remain closed, as already ordered. The Industries will be allowed to operate night shift provided necessary covid protocol is followed within their campus.
The management will be responsible for violation of covid protocol, if any.
The police authorities were specifically directed to focus on crowded areas like markets, malls, railway stations, ISBT etc., where covid protocol needs to be strictly followed.