Ludhiana, May 6: District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner Mr Pradeep Kumar Agrawal has informed that in view of Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic, the Punjab government have announced complete lockdown/curfew in the state till May 17, 2020. He informed that as per the guidelines received from the Union government, zones are to be identified on weekly basis and for the week beginning May 4, 2020, Ludhiana district falls in red zone. However, he informed that in Ludhiana, as of now, there is no demarcated containment zone, but nine areas have been declared restricted/high priority areas.
While issuing new orders, Mr Agrawal stated that activities related to travel by air, rail, inter-state buses, educational institutes, schools, colleges, training and coaching institutions, hospitality services, cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, social, political, cultural and other kind of gatherings, religious places/place of worship, movement of individuals from 7 pm to 7 am, movement of persons above 65 years of age, pregnant women and children below 10 years, inter-district and inter-district buses, taxis and cabs, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, barber shops, salons, spa shops (both in rural and urban areas) would be strictly not allowed. He said that only those trains that are being run by the Punjab government are allowed.
He said that the activities allowed with passes and restrictions include four wheelers (driver plus two passengers), two wheeler without pillion. The movement of individuals from 7 am to 7 pm would be allowed with restrictions, OPD facility in government and private hospitals would be allowed, along with goods traffic, rural shops except shopping malls in rural areas (7 am to 3 pm), urban standalone, neighbourhood and shops in residential areas (7 am to 3 pm), urban shops in markets, market complexes (for essential commodities only) can do counter sale from 7 am to 3 pm and later can do home delivery till 7 pm, construction rural areas (just by sending self declaration at acgludhiana@gmail.com), construction in urban areas (for only ongoing projects and for in situ construction), architects need to take e-pass, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, veterinary (essential services), banks and finance (9 am to 1 pm) for public dealing and later can do only office work (no public dealing after 1 pm), courier, postal service (9 am to 1 pm), essential goods, IT, jute, packaging industry, industry in rural areas (by submitting self declaration at gmdicludhiana@gmail.com), industry in urban areas (only in SEZs, EOUs, Industrial Estates, designated industrial areas as per master plan), e-commerce (for essential commodities), private offices (with 33% staff), educational institutions for office work, online teaching and book distribution (with 33% staff), government offices (defence, health, police, fire), the central government offices (100% for deputy secretary and above while 33% for junior staff), Punjab government offices (as per DoPT instructions), would be allowed.
The District Magistrate stated that for the above permitted activities, no special curfew permission/pass is required to do the activity. However, the concerned department’s norms, conditions, standard protocols and COVID management guidelines should be strictly followed. For instance, no permission will be required to run industry, to open warehouse or do constriction activity but the conditions already imposed, protocols followed by the concerned should be abided with and all health safeguards of COVID 19 should be adhered to without fail.
He said that there are no restrictions on vehicles carrying essential goods and no permissions/passes are required for those vehicles. For two wheeler (without pillion) and four wheeler (2 persons and driver) are allowed.
He said that no pass is required for government officials, healthcare establishments (hospitals, nursing homes, PHCs, CHCs-both government and private), institution/post offices, bank, railways, private offices, during duty hours, but they would have to carry their identity card.
For shopkeepers (essential services) they need to carry their personal ID card with any documents of the shops and would be allowed to commute only from 6 am to 7 am and 6 pm to 7 pm, other shopkeepers they need to carry their personal ID card with any documents of the shops and would be allowed to commute only from 6 am to 7 am and from 6 pm to 7 pm, owners of warehouse they need to carry their personal ID card with any documents of the warehouse, milk venders would be allowed to commute from 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. Anyone else having an e-pass would be allowed to commute only between 7 am to 7 pm. Industrialists/management and owners should be carrying identity card issued by the employer, industrial labour/other labour/workers should carry pass issued by the industrialist/employer/
He however clarified that the vehicles used for non work place would be allowed only with an e-pass.
He said that citizens can commute on foot without any pass from 7 am to 3 pm and only one person per family should venture out for essential services/commodities, besides wearing of face mask would be compulsory. The labourers/workers commuting on foot would require a pass issued by the employer and would be allowed to move only from 7 am to 9 am and from 5 pm to 7 pm.
The District Magistrate ordered that the movement of individuals for all non essential activities shall be strictly prohibited between 7 pm to 7 am. He said that as per the national directives for COVID 19 management guidelines, wearing of face mask in public/workplaces, to maintain social distancing etc should be strictly followed. Spitting in public places is also punishable. Any violations shall invite criminal proceedings under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005 and Indian Penal Code 1860.
He informed that around 5000 industries have started their operations in district Ludhiana and a large number of labourers have got back their employment.
