Chandigarh to take fresh view on weekend curfew
The Chandigarh Union Territory Administration on Wednesday said it will take a "fresh view" on imposing weekend curfew after Punjab and Haryana did not give consent to its proposal. "It was felt that since Mohali and Panchkula have not agreed for a tri-city closure on weekend, a fresh view on this issue will be taken in the next week,” said an official release in Chandigarh.
The proposal for weekend curfew was also discussed with doctors, officers, traders associations and political leaders, it said.
The Chandigarh administration had written to Punjab and Haryana for their consent for imposing curfew from Friday 7 pm to Monday 6 am every weekend in the tri-city of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, following a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The administration had reasoned that imposing curfew in Chandigarh would not be effective unless it was simultaneously imposed in Mohali (Punjab) and Panchkula (Haryana).
Chandigarh has been seeing a rise in coronavirus cases. Its tally has reached 780 cases with 13 deaths so far.
Meanwhile, the UT Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore directed that there must be strict implementation of social distancing and mask wearing at all public places.
He also directed screening of persons coming from outside at the borders and strict action against those, who violate curfew orders from 10 pm to 5 am.
The administrator also appealed to the media to create awareness among people about safety precautions to prevent spread of COVID-19.
He stated only messages through government advertisements will not suffice.
The media must play a positive and proactive role to create awareness among people for mask wearing and social distancing in tri-city, he said.
The administrator directed police, revenue and municipal officials to have more field inspections and check whether the residents are following social distancing norms and wearing masks in the markets and other public places like parks, Sukhna lake etc.
He also directed Commissioner, Municipal Corporation and Deputy Commissioner to conduct surprise checks in various markets.
The administrator warned if major violations are found in any market then that particular market could be closed for the safety of residents.
