Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Sunday decided to enforce a total lockdown in the state till March 31 in the wake of the threat of coronavirus.
“A high level meeting took place which was chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren and senior government officials. In the meeting it was decided to go for a lockdown till March 31,” said the Jharkhand Health Secretary.
“Except emergency services all offices will remains closed. All officials will work from home. There will be total ban on autorickshaws, taxis and public transportation. All shops, commercial institutions, factories, godowns, weekly markets will remain closed. All construction activities will remain closed. All religious places will remain closed. All people coming from abroad will be quarantined,” said the government order.
The Jharkhand government also extended the ‘Janata Curfew’ till Monday despite the state reporting no coronavirus positive case.
“The janata curfew has been extended till Monday morning. Of the 58 suspected cases in the state, 45 have tested negative. The report of the rest is awaited. There is no confirmed case in the state,” Nitin Kulkarni, Jharkhand Health Secretary, told IANS.
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On any partial lockdown, he said, “We will review the situation on Monday and then take any decision.”
On Saturday, Jharkhand Chief Secretary D.K. Tewary wrote to the Railway Board Chairman requesting non-entry of trains from outside till March 31. The Railway Ministry on Sunday decided to stop movement of passenger trains till March 31. The entry of buses into the state has also been banned.
The ‘janata curfew’ received a tremendous response in the state with shops remaining shut and people staying at home. At 5 p.m. people came in their balconies or outside their homes beating utensils and blowing conches to express their gratitude to health workers fighting the epidemic.
“People should not listen to rumours of coronavirus. The state government is taking suitable measures to deal with the situation. Directions have been issued to create isolation wards at the panchayat level,” said Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
–IANS
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