Covid-19 restrictions extended in Bengal till June 15: Mamata
West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee on Thursday extended the ongoing Covid-19restrictions till June 15, saying that the curbs have helpedease the pandemic situation.
The West Bengal government had announced the existingrestrictions for 15 days from May 16 following a huge surge inthe number of coronavirus cases.
The announcement for extension of the curbs came threedays before they were scheduled to come to an end.
“The Covid-19 restrictions in the state will continuetill June 15. This is not a lockdown or a curfew. We willstrictly follow the restrictions.
“Its a relief to see that the ongoing restrictionshave helped in easing the situation a little,” Banerjee toldreporters at the state secretariat Nabanna.
Essential services will continue operating followingprotocols, the chief minister said adding that all the ongoingrestrictions would continue till June 15.
“We will see that the states economy is notdisturbed,” Banerjee said.
She allowed the jute industry to work with a 40 percent workforce in place of the existing 30 per cent followingrising demand for jute bags from Punjab.
Banerjee also said that work in the constructionsector could be allowed provided labourers are vaccinated bycompanies for whom they work.
“Construction companies must arrange for inoculationof labourers to carry out works,” she said.
“We have already started vaccinating hawkers,vegetable vendors, fish sellers, rickshaw drivers, busconductors and drivers,” she said.
The chief minister also asked the health department tocarry out vaccination camps in markets of the state.
During the period of restrictions, all government andprivate offices, shopping complexes, malls, bars, sportscomplexes, pubs and beauty parlours will remain closed.
Only the essential service sector such as healthcare,law and order, courts, jail, power, drinking water and mediawould be allowed to operate.
Movement of private vehicles, taxis and auto-rickshawswill be prohibited except to and fro hospitals, nursing homes,diagnostic centres, clinics, vaccination centres and airports.
Local trains, intra-state bus services and inlandwater transport services will remain closed.
All intra-state movement of trucks and goods carriersshall be closed except those relating to medical supplies,oxygen and essential food commodities.
E-commerce home delivery services of all commoditiesshall be allowed.
The state government has decided that petrol pumps,auto repair shops, LPG gas offices and distribution centresand ATM booths will remain open, while banks will operate from10 am to 2 pm.
Sweetmeat shops will be allowed to open between 10 amto 5 pm while jewellery and saree shops may operate from noonto 3 pm.
All gatherings – administrative, entertainment,political, cultural, and religious – shall be prohibitedduring this period.
Tea gardens will be allowed to operate with 50 percent workforce in each shift.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)