Lockdown in MP's Chhindwara as COVID cases surge

In view of the spike of the COVID-19 cases, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to impose lockdown for a week in Chhindwara and night curfews in urban districts.

Bhopal:The Madhya Pradesh government announced a lockdown in the entire Chhindwara district for the next seven days beginning from 8 pm on Thursday.

It also announced the imposition of night curfew in all urban areas of the state from April 8 and also decided to operate the government offices for five days every week for the next three months. The decision has been taken in view of the increasing COVID-19 cases in the state.

The government also announced a lockdown in urban areas of all districts every Sunday till further orders, and a lockdown in the entire Chhindwara district for the next seven days beginning from 8 pm on Thursday. The district administration has also decided to impose Section 144 which prohibits the assembly of more than four people to contain the spread.

Chhindwara district collector Saurabh Kumar Suman said that in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases, the administration has imposed a lockdown in the entire district. He said all the government offices of the state will be open 5 days a week (Monday to Friday), from 10 am to 6 pm for the next 3 months. The government offices will remain closed on Saturday-Sunday.

READ:Inmates in MP's Gwalior Central Jail receive COVID-19 vaccine jab

Essential services like medical stores, banking services, ATM and petrol pumps will be exempted and the state government has urged workplaces to opt for work from home. Government and private sector employees and students appearing for examinations will be allowed to commute by displaying a pass.

Home delivery and online delivery of essential products will be permitted barring distribution of LPG cylinders.

"In view of increasing cases of COVID-19, all the government offices of the state will be open 5 days a week (Monday to Friday), from 10 am to 6 pm for the next 3 months. The government offices will remain closed on Saturday-Sunday," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a tweet while informing about the decisions taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

READ:118-yr-old woman gets COVID-19 vaccine jab in MP

"In the wake of COVID19 situation, there'll be lockdown from 6 pm on Friday to 6 am on Monday in all urban areas of MP. For cities where cases have increased, appropriate action will be taken after the meeting of the crisis mgmt group. We're making containment areas in big cities," said CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

In another tweet, CMO said that there will be a "complete lockdown in the entire Chhindwara district for the next 7 days from 8 pm on Thursday. There will be a complete lockdown for the next 2 days from 8 pm tonight (Wednesday) in Shajapur city".

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has set the limit for social, political and religious gathering and also to step up the vigil in containment zones.

READ:Two Indore cops suspended for beating up auto driver