Covid-19: Punjab CM orders lockdown for entire state to fight pandemic

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday ordered complete lockdown in the state to contain the spread of coronavirus, officials said.

Only essential services will be exempted from the lockdown. The formal order for complete lockdown to be issued shortly

On Sunday, roads and public places in Punjab, Haryana and their common capital were deserted as the 'jnata curfew' proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to counter the spread of coronavirus began.

The 14-hour-long 'Janata curfew' is part of a social distancing exercise to help break the chain of transmission and stop the spread of the virus.

Chandigarh appeared to be a ghost town on Sunday morning. Roads lay empty with no vehicles visible, even on the busiest intersections including transport light point, Tribune Chowk and near the Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) bus stand in Sector 43. Popular haunts like Sukhna Lake and the Sector 17 plaza remained empty.

Markets were closed except for chemist shops. Milk booths were mostly shut as well. Apartment Societies and other gated communities especially in the Southern Sectors remained shut with the gates closed while police officials could be seen maintaining a vigil in the city.

Earlier Saturday night, the Punjab government ordered a lockdown till March 25 in several districts including Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar.

A government statement on Saturday said Deputy Commissioners should interact with industry associations to work out modalities for proactive closure and they should also appeal to them to compensate labourers and not deduct the wages.

Punjab recorded the highest single-day increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases ion Saturday with 11 people testing positive.

(Inputs and image from hindustantimes.com)