Assam government re-imposes 14-day total lockdown in Guwahati from June 28

Guwahati, June 26: Given a sharp spike in COVID-19 positive cases, Assam government on Friday has re-imposed two-week total lockdown in Guwahati city and in all areas under Kamrup (Metro) district from 7 pm of June 28.

Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said in a press conference held in Guwahati that, the two-week total lockdown will be started from June 28.

“It will be strict lockdown. Except pharmacies, laboratories and hospitals nothing will be opened,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He further said that the weekend lockdown will also be imposed in all municipal areas of rest of Assam and night curfew will be placed across the state.

In an order issued by Assam Chief Secretary Kumar, Sanjay Krishna on Friday stated – “In my capacity as the Chairman of the State Executive Committee of Assam State Disaster Management Authority, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 22(2)(h) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and in supersession of all earlier orders do direct Commissioner of Police, City and District Magistrate, Kamrup Metropolitan District to enforce “Total Lockdown” in all the areas under Kamrup Metropolitan District. This order shall come into force with effect from 7 PM (1900 hrs) of 28th June, 2020 and shall remain in force up till 6 PM (1800 Hrs) of 12th July, 2020.”

The Assam government has issued many restrictions during the lockdown period.

“Movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited in the specified area. All Government Offices, Offices of Autonomous/Subordinate Offices and Private Offices shall remain closed. All business/commercial establishments, shops and trade activities shall remain closed. All Industrial establishments shall remain closed, all public transport services shall remain suspended, movement of all Private vehicles is banned, all hospitality services shall remain suspended, all educational, research, training, coaching institutions shall remain closed. All places of worship shall remain closed for public. No religious congregation will be permitted without any exception, all social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions, gathering shall be barred. Not more than 20 persons will be permitted in case of funerals. All non-essential and avoidable movement of people shall be banned, spitting in public places is banned and will be punishable with fine, as may be prescribed by the local authority under its laws, rules or regulations. Consumption and sale of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco etc. in public places are prohibited,” said in the government order.

On the other hand, the state government has exempted Defence, Central and State Police forces, Establishment of the District Magistrate, Commissioner of Police, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire & Emergency Services, Disaster Management, Electricity, Water, Sanitation, Municipal bodies (only staff required for essential services like sanitation, water supply etc.), hospitals and retail medical establishments from the purview of lockdown.

“Only 10 (ten) per cent of Bank branches in the District with skeletal attendance and ATMs shall operate. Highest Authority of the Banks shall determine the specific branches and give wide publicity of open bank branches, print and electronic media including newspaper distribution are allowed. However, it is advised that a minimum number of persons shall only come out in the open, telecommunications, internet services, broadcasting and cable services, IT and IT-enabled services to continue. However, personnel engaged in these services are allowed to work from home only. Only emergency repair crew would be allowed movement subject to prior permission/ pass from the appropriate authority, power generation, transmission and distribution units and services shall continue with persons with specifically assigned duties being allowed to come out. Transportation of essential goods, vehicles of Health, Fire, Law & Order and Emergency Services are allowed, All transport services and movement of people from other districts shall remain suspended except that connected to COVID functions. Inter-state movement shall also remain suspended except with prior permissions/ pass. People (Interstate and inter District movement) holding train/air tickets to and from Guwahati as well to Guwahati shall be allowed to move only on production of such tickets at checkpoints. Hotels which are accommodating quarantined persons, medical and emergency staff, aircrew shall operate with skeletal service. Establishments used /earmarked for quarantine facilities shall operate. All officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above shall attend office in Assam Secretariat regularly. Other officers and employees shall be asked to attend office on need-based instruction issued by the senior-most secretary of the Department. Directors shall decide on the number of skeletal officers and staff to attend for functioning of Directorates. Government officers and employees who are directed specifically by their Controlling Officers will only be allowed with documentary evidence of such permission/orders. Rest of Government functionaries shall work from home. Only those Government officers and employees connected with the aforementioned exempted categories would be allowed to come to office/ workplaces. Milk, baby food, medicines and water supply are allowed on specific areas and time, railway offices and persons directly linked with the operation of passenger and goods trains shall be allowed to operate on being so assigned. Continuous process industries would be allowed to function, subject to workforce staying in the premises and outwards/ inwards movement during the period of lockdown shall not be allowed. Only identified Petrol pumps, gas agencies would be allowed to be operational during Lockdown. LPG agencies shall distribute products at home Customers’ homes only. Petroleum products to other districts would be allowed to move through Highways. Agricultural and Tea garden activities shall continue with social distancing. Lockdown permissions/ passes issued earlier stand cancelled. Fresh permissions /passes shall have to be obtained from a competent authority. No person(s) shall be allowed to venture out simply on the ground of being employed in the exempted category of services. The permissions granted to persons/ services/ activities as given above may be withdrawn at any time without assigning any reason and/or advance notice. The extent of validity of this order may be modified depending on an analysis of ground reality as and when required,” said in the government order.

The Assam government has also imposed night curfew across the state and directed the District Magistrates of all other districts of the state to enforce total prohibition of movement of persons between 7 pm to 7 am (Night Curfew) in all areas of their respective jurisdiction under relevant provisions of Cr PC including rural areas from 7 pm of June 27.

“District Magistrates of all districts shall also promulgate necessary orders for ‘Total Lockdown’ of all Municipal and Town Committee areas under their jurisdiction on all Saturdays and Sundays in Guwahati w.e.f. 27th June, 2020 until further orders,” said in the government order.

Assam has reported 6646 positive cases for COVID-19 so far and the state has registered 276 cases in last 24 hours.