Total Covid Cufew Declared In 7 Assam Districts

With Covid cases piling up, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) today put seven districts with the highest incidence under a total curfew and issued a revised and consolidated directive for both rural and urban areas.

The seven districts facing a total shutdown are Goalpara, Golaghat, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, and Morigaon, where the restrictions will come into force at 5 am tomorrow.

In districts with moderate positivity rates, the restrictions will be from 2 pm to 5 am. These places are Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Bajali, Kamrup, Darrang, Nagaon, Hojai, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Cachar, Karimganj, and Karbi Anglong.

In those districts showing an improvement in the pandemic condition, the curfew will be between 5 pm and 5 am. These are Dhubri, Kamrup Metropolitan, South Salmara, Majuli, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Udalguri, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Charaideo, and Hailakandi.

"Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts are being kept under close watch for a week," the order mentioned.

Following are the restrictions and exceptions mentioned in the revised standard operating procedure:

All workplaces will be closed until further orders in districts showing high positivity rates. This includes business or commercial establishments, shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, and animal fodder, besides restaurants, dhabas, and other eateries, sale counters, and showrooms, cold storages, and warehouses, among others.

In districts with moderate positivity rates, they will be allowed to open up to 1 pm, and up to 4 pm in places showing an improvement.

There will be a total ban on the movement of all public and private transport in the districts under full curfew. Movement of goods shall continue, though. In other places, all public transport authorities shall enforce COVID-19-appropriate behaviour, including those pertaining to seating inside vehicles.

All inter-district passenger transport services and movement of people to and from other districts shall remain suspended.

Public gatherings are banned in the total containment districts. In others, up to 10 persons are allowed at weddings and funerals. The wearing of face masks is compulsory in all public places.

Other restrictions, including the odd-even formula for vehicles and the declaration of containment zones, as well as exemptions, shall continue as notified on June 26, unless specifically modified by the latest order.