Lockdowns, curfews: Bengal and Haryana impose tough new restrictions

West Bengal and Haryana on Friday imposed additional measures to check the spread of COVID-19.

The Bengal government announced a partial lockdown and said malls, beauty parlours, cinemas, restaurants and bars, sports complexes, gyms, spas and swimming pools will close. However, online services and home deliveries will be allowed.

The curbs were imposed with immediate effect and will remain in place until further orders, the government said.

Gatherings of all kinds, including those for social, cultural, academic or entertainment purposes will be banned, a release said. Markets will be open from 7am to 10am and 3pm to 5pm on all days. Places offering essential services, such as medical and grocery shops, can remain open at times other than the specified period, the release said.

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All activities related to electoral counting processes and victory rallies will be held in accordance with orders issued in this regard by the Election Commission (ECI). Unnecessary congregation in the neighbourhoods of counting halls will also be discouraged and restricted.

In Haryana the government imposed a weekend lockdown in nine districts. The curfew will be in force in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panchkula, Sonipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad districts from 10 pm on Friday till 5 am on Monday, a government release said.

These districts are the highest contributors to the state’s COVID-19 caseload.

“Residents must stay indoors during the lockdown period. No person shall leave their home or move on foot, in a vehicle, or stand, or roam around in any public place during the lockdown period,” the order stated.

The people tasked with law and order, emergencies and municipal service duties and government machinery tasked with COVID-19 related duties are exempted from the curfew. There also won’t be any curbs on those engaged in manufacturing of essential goods and movement of both essential and non-essential goods and people appearing for exams, according to the order.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said his government will “leave no stone unturned” to curb the spread of COVID-19. He has also asked the authorities to take strict action against anyone found indulging in black marketing and hoarding of medical oxygen cylinders and other medical devices or antiviral injections used in the treatment of COVID-19.