A view of crowd at Sadar Bazar due to Diwali shopping, amid Covid-19 pandemic in New Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the government could consider shutting down markets that are coronavirus hotspots. Addressing the media here, Kejriwal said that the city government will send a proposal to the Centre to give power to the city government to impose lockdown in market areas that are emerging as COVID-19 hotspots.
"Since cases are rising in Delhi, we are sending a general proposal to Central government that if required, Delhi government can implement shutting down those markets for few days, where norms are not being followed and they are becoming a local Covid-19 hotspot," Kejriwal said.
He said that the Delhi government, Centre, and all agencies are making 'double efforts' to control the COVID-19 situation in the national capital.
READ MORE: NITI Aayog says situation 'unprecedented' in Delhi, likely to worsen
"I want to thank central govt for helping people of Delhi in such difficult times," he said. "I appeal to Delhiites with folded hands to wear masks and follow social distancing norms."
He also informed that the government has sent a proposal to L-G wherein it has recommended that only 50 people be allowed to attend wedding functions. The earlier limit was 200.
The development comes days after the Centre announced a slew of measures to check the rising cases in the national capital. The steps include arranging 300 additional ICU beds, doubling the RTPCR tests daily, and a house-to-house survey. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who presided over the meet, said some of the hospitals under the municipal corporations will be converted into dedicated COVID hospitals. Also, doctors and paramedical staff have been called in to increase the manpower. According to the MHA, around 75 paramilitary doctors and some 250 paramedics have allready arrived in the city from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and other states.
Earlier on Monday, a Delhi governent official told PTI that that government is working on revising its containment strategy and is likely to conduct a survey in the high-coronavirus incidence areas of the city. On November 1, the number of containment zones was 3,359, which rose to 4,358 by November 15.
