Aiming to arrest the uncontrolled spike of COVID infections in UP, all social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious activities are prohibited for the next 14 days across all containment zones of Lucknow, Kanpur and other state districts. In order to impose these restraints, detailed directives were issued by UP chief secretary R K Tiwari, instructing all district authorities to make sure that the ban is strictly followed.
Extensive list of instructions for curtailing the virus spread
Speaking of the restrictions, the high official mentioned that weddings will be allowed to host only 50 guests and no more than 20 people will be permitted at the funerals. Further, the guidelines stated that all shopping complexes, cinema halls, restaurants and bars, sports complexes, gyms, spas, swimming pools and religious places will remain shut in all the affected areas. Though the administration has distanced itself from the usage of the term lockdown, the intervention is very similar to the regulations implemented last year.
All necessary and essential services including health, police, fire services, banks, power, water and irrigation will remain functional in these areas. While the government and private offices have been asked to call only 50% of employees to their campus daily, it is mandated that all industrial and scientific institutes must follow social distancing.
It has been instructed that public transport vehicles such as buses, metro rail and hired cars will not be permitted to ferry more than 50% of their seating capacity. It is noteworthy though, that movement between states and within a state is allowed without any limitations.
Rising new infections increase the burden of active cases in Uttar Pradesh
With an alarming count of 35,104 new infections recorded on Thursday, Uttar Pradesh currently houses 3,09,237 active cases of the COVID virus. While 25,613 recoveries were registered in the state, the virus engulfed 295 lives on Thursday. In view of these disturbing figures, it is incumbent upon the state administration to amplify the bans and restrictions.
– With Inputs from IANS
