Shortly after the Yogi Adityanath government said that there was no need for a complete lockdown in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has ordered a total shutdown in state capital Lucknow and other major cities such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Kanpur.
The lockdown will remain in force till April 26 as of now. The High Court has also ordered the Chief Medical Officer and DM of Lucknow and Prayagraj to take stock of the situation and ensure full availability of Covid drugs, Oxygen, and ICU beds. Uttar Pradesh is among the top surge states in India’s corona tally.
Roadside hawkers selling fruits or vegetables, milk, and bread sellers will be expected to go off the streets by 11 am every day.
Educational institutions, whether run by the government or a part of the private sector, will also remain closed; this applies to instructors and non-teaching staff too.
Exceptions will be made for financial institutions, businesses offering medical or health services, industrial and scientific establishments, and those providing essential services such as municipal functions and public transport.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh is one of the worst affected states in this second Covid wave; the state reported over 30,000 new cases this morning, taking its active caseload to over 1.91 lakh. Only Maharashtra with more than 6.7 lakh active cases – has been more badly hit than UP.
