Assam imposes more restrictions all offices shut in urban areas for 15 days

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    Guwahati, May 12 (PTI) The Assam government on
Wednesday ordered shutting down of all offices, religious
places and weekly markets for 15 days in urban and semi-urban
areas of the state, besides banning movement of people from 2
pm to 5 am in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases.
    Issuing a new set of guidelines for the urban and
semi-urban places in the periphery of 5 km of municipal areas,
Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua said all standalone shops and
commercial establishments shall shut down at 1 pm on all days.
    "Complete lockdown is an option, but we are going
gradually in a phased manner. We hope these measures will work
in the next two-three days," he said at a press conference
here.
    The new restrictions will come into effect from
Thursday.
    As per the restrictions notified by the Assam State
Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), weekly haats, bazaars,
educational institutions and all government and private
offices have been ordered to shut for the next 15 days.
    "Government officers of deputy secretary and above
rank and senior executive in private sector along with their
key support staff will be allowed to attend office upto 1 pm
only for emergency and essential works," the order stated.
    However, these restrictions will not be applicable for
organisations rendering essential and emergency services, law
enforcement services and election works.
    "All religious places shall remain closed for 15
days... Funeral/last rites related gatherings shall not be
more than 10 persons," the order said.
    Likewise, weddings and religious functions will be
only private affairs and be allowed with the presence of a
maximum of 10 persons and no reception parties will be allowed
post or pre wedding.
    "In case the test positivity of COVID-19 in any area
reaches five per cent or more in the last one week, District
Magistrate will notify such areas as containment zone and
ensure necessary containment measures for COVID-19," the ASDMA
said.
    All public transport will be allowed with 30 per cent
of seating capacity, while auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws,
taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers only.
    "Pillion riding will be totally prohibited in two-
wheelers except with women and children.
    "All vehicles other than government vehicles will be
allowed to ply in accordance with an odd-even formula to be
decided by the jurisdictional district disaster management
authority between 5 am to 2 pm," the order stated.
    ASDMA further said that there shall be a total ban on
the movement of individuals from 2 pm to 5 am daily.
    For the rest of the state, all restrictions announced
earlier such as night curfew from 6 pm to 5 am with total ban
on movement of persons at public places on all days will
continue, except for those engaged in essential and emergency
services.
    When asked why the government is not considering
imposing a complete lockdown, Barua said that any such drastic
measures adversely affect the poor people and that will be
considered as the last resort.
    Director-General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said
the police will implement the restrictions very strictly if
the people do not follow them.
    "If we see people crowding at any place, say in front
of a permitted shop, police will be ruthless. We will use
force and lathi-charge them. You may go and file cases against
us, but we don't care.
    "If someone organises any function secretly at home
and invites people, then it will be considered as cheating and
betrayal. We will not only file a case under Disaster
Management Act, but also lodge an attempt to murder case,"
Mahanta said. PTI TR
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)