The Punjab government has issued certain guidelines in view of the rising cases of covid-19 in the state. Several restrictions have also been imposed in the affected districts of the state in this regard:
The order of the department of home affairs and justice reads that:
In view of the surge in Covid-19 cases, it has been decided that with effect from March 21, 2021, the following restrictions should be strictly and meticulously followed till further orders:
Restrictions applied in the entire State of Punjab:
(i) All educational institutions i.e. schools and colleges shall remain closed till March 31, 2021, but the entire teaching and non-teaching staff shall continue to attend on all working days.
(ii) However, all the medical and nursing colleges shall continue to remain open.
(iii) Restriction of 50% capacity in all the cinema halls, theaters, multiplexes, etc. shall be applicable and not more than 100 persons shall be allowed in shopping malls at any time.
(iv) One hour silence from 11 am to 12 pm on all Saturdays commencing March 27, 2021, in memory of and as a mark of respect to all those who had to lay down their lives due to Covid shall be observed throughout the State. No vehicle shall ply during this time.
Additional restrictions applicable to 11 severely Covid affected districts of Amritsar, Moga, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Patiala, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Fatehgarh Sahib, Roopnagar and SBS Nagar:
(i) Night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am on all days with immediate effect shall be strictly in force prohibiting all the non-essential activities. However, all the essential activities including operations of the industry as well as ‘to and fro’ movement of passengers traveling via air, trains, buses, etc. shall remain exempted from curfew restrictions.
(ii) No social, cultural, or political gatherings and related functions shall be allowed. The number of guests in all the wedding relating ceremonies as well as attendees in cremation/funeral functions shall be limited to 20 persons.
(iii) Grievance redressal by all the government offices shall be preferred through virtual/on-line modes. Public dealings be discouraged as far as possible and allowed only where deemed unavoidable. Revenue Department shall also endeavor to limit appointments to the public for the execution of Conveyance Deeds for sale and purchase of properties.
(iv) Cinemas, multiplexes, restaurants, and malls shall remain closed on all Sundays. However, home deliveries shall remain permitted during all times except during night curfew hours.
The situation would be reviewed after two weeks.
District authorities shall also continue to ensure strict implementation of all the extant directives of MHA/State Government on Covid appropriate behavior including social distancing norm of minimum six feet distance, regulating crowds in market places and public transport, and imposition of penalties prescribed for violation of Covid appropriate behavior like wearing of face masks and spitting in public places etc.
Police and the Health authorities shall take all those moving around and loitering in public areas, and on the roads and streets, without face masks, to the nearest RT-PCR testing facility to ensure that they are not asymptomatic Covid cases.
People must keep social activity in their houses to the bare minimum for the next two weeks to break the transmission chain. Not more than 10 visitors should be entertained in homes.
All political parties and their leaders are requested to keep their gatherings within the prescribed numbers i.e. 50% of capacity subject to maximum of 100 in closed and 200 in open spaces reported babushahi.com
