As Covid cases continue to remain high in the state, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday ordered a total ban on political gatherings till April 30 and said that violators, including political leaders, will be booked under the Disaster Management and Epidemics Act.
The chief minister also announced extension of night curfew from 9pm to 5am, which hitherto was imposed in 12 districts, to the entire state and reduced the number of attendees at funeral/cremations/weddings to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors.
Wearing masks has been made mandatory for all government employees while in office.
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Schools stay closed, but relief for shop owners in malls
These restrictions, coupled with the ones imposed earlier, which include the closure of schools and educational institutions, shall remain effective till April 30. However, there was some respite for shop owners in malls, as the entry of 10 people in a shop at any given time has been allowed, as against the earlier order of not allowing more than 100 people in a mall at one time. This would imply that 200 people will be allowed in a mall with 20 shops at any given time.
In his weekly review of the Covid situation, the chief minister expressed concern at the high positivity and mortality rates in the state. He said it was matter of concern that over 85% of cases in Punjab are of the UK strain, which is more contagious and virulent.
He said he had no option but to go in for stricter measures to further control the surge, even though the number of positive cases had somewhat stabilised in the last few days due to curbs imposed earlier. He said he had been forced to order a ban on political gatherings, as his pleas to all parties to refrain from organising such events had been ignored, despite the fact that the Congress had unilaterally announced its decision of not holding any rallies or public meetings last month.
Amarinder guns for rallies by Kejriwal, Sukhbir
Expressing surprise at the behaviour of certain political leaders, including Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who had been attending political rallies without following safety protocols, the chief minister said such irresponsible conduct doesn’t behove them. “How do you expect people to be serious about the spread of the disease if senior political leaders behave like this?” he said, adding that his government would need to be tough to tackle such violations and political leaders would also need to be booked.
He ordered the police and the district administrations to register cases against political leaders, organisers and participants of such gatherings under the DMA and Epidemics Act, besides booking the owners of the tent houses, who provide the infrastructure for such gatherings. He said even the venue owners, who would provide space for such events, will not be spared and they would be booked, and their venues sealed for three months.
No social, cultural or sports gatherings allowed
He said that no social, cultural or sports gatherings and related functions will be allowed till April 30.
In-person public dealing shall be restricted in all government offices and online and virtual modes for grievance redressal shall be encouraged. All government employees will need to compulsorily wear a mask while attending office.
Capt Amarinder Singh said restrictions of running cinema houses at 50% of their capacity and the closure of schools and educational institutions, except medical and nursing colleges, shall continue till April 30.
The chief minister directed Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta to ensure strict implementation of the night curfew.
