Chandigarh, April 7, 2021: As Covid cases continue to remainhigh in the state, Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, on Wednesdayordered a total ban on political gatherings till April 30 and said thatviolators, including political leaders, will be booked under the DMA andEpidemics Act.
The chief minister also announced the extension of nightcurfew from 9 PM to 5 AM, which hitherto was imposed in 12 districts, to theentire state and reduced the number of attendees at funeral/cremations/weddingsto 50 people indoors and 100 for outdoors. Wearing of masks has been mademandatory for all government employees while in office.
These restrictions, coupled with the ones imposed earlier,which include the closure of schools and educational institutions, shall remaineffective till April 30.
However, there was some respite for shop owners in Malls, asthe Chief Minister allowed entry of 10 people per shop at any given time, asagainst the earlier order of not allowing more than 100 people in a mall at onetime.
This would imply that 200 people will be allowed in a Mallwith 20 shops at any given time. Captain Amarinder, in his weekly review of theCovid situation, expressed concern at the high positivity and mortality ratesin the state. He said it was a matter of concern that over 85% of cases inPunjab are of the UK strain, which is more contagious and virulent.
He said he had nooption but to go in for stricter measures to further control the ongoing surge,even though the number of positive cases had somewhat stabilized in the lastfew days due to curbs imposed earlier.
He said he had been forced to order a ban on politicalgatherings, as his pleas to all political parties to refrain from organizingsuch events had been ignored, despite the fact that the Congress party hadunilaterally announced its decision of not holding any rallies or publicmeetings last month.
Expressing surprise at the behavior of certain politicalleaders, including Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, and SAD’s SukhbirBadal, who had been attending political rallies without following safety protocols,the chief minister said such irresponsible conduct doesn’t behoove them.
“How do you expect people to be serious about the spread ofthe disease if senior political leaders behave like this, he said adding thathis government would need to be tough to tackle such violations and politicalleaders would also need to be booked.
He ordered the police and the district administrations toregister cases against the political leaders, organizers, and participants ofpolitical gatherings under the DMA and Epidemics Act, besides booking theowners of the tent houses, who provide the infrastructure for such gatherings.He said even the venue owners, who would provide space for such events, willnot be spared and they too would be booked and their venues sealed for threemonths.
He further said thatno social, cultural, or sports gatherings and related functions will be allowedtill April 30. In-person public dealing shall be restricted in all Governmentoffices and online and virtual modes for grievance redressal shall beencouraged, he said while adding that all government employees will need tocompulsorily wear a mask while attending office.
Captain Amarindersaid citizens should be encouraged to visit public offices only for essentialservices and the concerned departments should issue instructions for limitingdaily appointments for works like registries etc. He said restrictions ofrunning cinema houses at 50% of their capacity and closure of schools andeducational institutions, except medical and nursing colleges, shall continuetill April 30.
The Chief Ministeralso directed Punjab DGP, Dinkar Gupta, to ensure strict implementation of thenight curfew.