Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 31
Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Monday his government would continue to place restrictions on movement in urban areas of the state, a fact that came days after Punjab cases breached 50,000 cases.
The Punjab government said in its press release that weekend closures would continue in all 167 municipal areas of the state until the end of September, as would nighttime curfews from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. This decision to continue night curfews continues despite the central government’s decision to lift its own orders.
“The decision has been made in due consultation with the Center, as required by the Unlock 4.0 guidelines issued by the Ministry of the Interior of the Government of India,” said an official spokesperson.
However, the Chief Minister has ordered a relaxation regarding the opening of stores in the five worst affected cities of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali and Ludhiana. The condition that only 50 percent of non-essential stores were open on any given day in these cities has been removed.
The central government said in its Unlock 4 guidelines on Sunday that any decision on new closures and movement restrictions should be made only after consultation.
All social, political and religious meetings, protests and demonstrations continue to be prohibited under article 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
This is also different from the central government’s own guidelines, which allowed such meetings as of September 21. Social events such as weddings and funerals will have a restriction on the number of attendees: 30 for the first and 20 for the second.
There will be a full curfew on weekends at all 167 boroughs. Essential activities will only be allowed during nighttime curfew hours.
“The movement of students and others in relation to exams, admission tests or entrance carried out by Universities, Boards, Public Service Commissions and other institutions has been excluded from the restrictions. Captain Amarinder has ordered the district authorities to facilitate the movement of these people, ”said the official spokesman.
Places of worship can stay open every day until 6.30 pm, as can restaurants and liquor stores.
These restrictions will not apply to hotels.
“Captain Amarinder has directed the district authorities to strictly adhere to these guidelines,” the spokesman said. “He has asked the police to guarantee strict action against the organizers and main participants in case of any violation of the orders u / S 144 of Cr.PC”
There will be no restrictions on essential services and activities, or on the movement of people and goods on national and state highways.
“Interstate and intrastate movement of people and unloading of cargo and travel of people to their destinations will be allowed after disembarking from buses, trains and planes during restrictive conditions,” the spokesperson said.
These essential services include those related to health, agricultural and related activities, dairy and fishing activities, banks, ATMs, stock exchanges, insurance companies, online teaching, public services, public transport, multi-shift industry, construction, offices. both private and government, the spokesperson said.
Shopping centers and non-essential product sales can operate until 6:30 pm Monday through Friday, but only essential activities will be allowed on weekends.
Stores that sell basic goods can stay open until 6.30 p.m. on weekends.
Existing restrictions on the number of passengers in vehicles will continue: three people, including the driver, in a four-wheeler, and buses and public transport can only carry half of their seating capacity.
The staffing of government and private offices cannot exceed 50%.
“Office heads would restrict public visitors to government offices and encourage the use of Punjab’s online complaint redress system (PGRS) and other online tools to minimize person-to-person contact at offices, according to with the directives issued in the Orders of the Chief Minister, ”said the spokesman.
The development came on a day when 1,453 new COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths brought Punjab’s COVID-19 count to 53,992 with 1,453 deaths.
Unlock 4.0 Highlights
Night curfew to continue
Weekend closures will continue in 167 municipalities
What is allowed
- Weddings with no more than 30 people and funerals with no more than 20 people
- Restaurants, liquor stores every day until 6.30
- Shops that sell basic products (until 6.30 p.m. on weekends)
- Essential services
- Places of worship every day until 6.30 p.m.
- No restrictions on the movement of goods and services
- There are no restrictions for people going to destinations from bus and train stations, airports
- Time / day restrictions not applicable to hotels
That is not allowed
- Social, political, religious gatherings, protests, prohibited demonstrations
- Shopping malls, stores that sell non-essential items on weekends
What are essential services
Those related to health, agricultural and related activities, dairy and fishing activities, banks, ATMs, stock exchanges, insurance companies, online teaching, public services, public transport, multi-shift industry, construction industry, offices both private and governmental. .
