BREAKING | Dima Hasao Placed under Lockdown to Check Spread of COVID-19

Haflong, March 23, 2020:

In the wake of the Central Government's notice urging the State Governments to observe shurdowns as India battles with the dreaded coronavirus, the Dima Hasao administration has called for a lockdown.

ALSO READ: Assam Reportedly Lurching Towards Lockdown amid COVID-19 Crisis

Making the announcement earlier today, the CEM of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous District Council has ordained a lockdown in Dima Hasao for 5 days (24-28 Mar) to prevent possibilities of an outbreak and the spread of the coronavirus. The administration has however added that exemptions given to essential services/urgent nature of works. Furthermore, Government officials have been instructed to work from home and be available when called for.

Two more districts in Assam — Nalbari and Dibrugarh — have also gone into lockdown mode. In Dibrugarh, in exercise of the power conferred upon under regulation 12 of the Assam COVID-19 regulation 2020, the District Magistrate, Dibrugarh has ordered closure of all shops, commercial establishments other than the following ones: pharmacies, clinical establishments. grocery and essential item shops, petrol pumps, LPG outlets., printing press, fish, meat, vegetable market (subject to maintenance of proper sanitation and hygienic condition).

In Lower Assam’s Nalbari also, the district administration has imposed a similar closure. The order will come into effect until further orders. Any violation of this order will invite punitive action under the Indian Penal Code.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Viral WhatsApp Message Declaring Assam Lockdown Termed as “FAKE” by Govt

It may be recalled here that yesterday, a situation of hue-and-cry erupted in Nalbari after a bus carrying 49 youths who had come back from other parts of the country screeched to a halt in Rowmari village. 5 of the youths in the bus were from the region, but they were prohibited from getting down by the locals.

It is pertinent to mentioned here that the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh, as precautionary measures against the outbreak of the coronavirus, has imposed complete safety restrictions, which will come into effect at 5 pm later today.

Via an order dated March 22, the Health and Family Welfare Department has listed a set of directives to be followed by the people till March 31

Firstly, all public transport services have been banned, except transport to and from hospitals and other essential places.

All shops and commercial establishments have also been given directions to close down. People have been directed to stay at home and do only basic activities. Furthermore, all inter-state transport has been closed down.

The Government of Meghalaya, meanwhile, in a bid to contain the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus strand, has decided to adopt a model of one day open and two days closure amid skyrocketing number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases across the world.

In a latest notification issued today in the evening, the Meghalaya Government has informed that the State is embracing a “one day open and two days closure” so that social distancing can be effectively enforced to contain the spread of the pandemic.

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