State govt revises complete lockdown dates
Kolkata: The Bengal government on Monday revised the dates of the statewide complete lockdown that were coinciding with "some festivals and local community-based customs".
Earlier, the state government had announced that the complete statewide lockdown would be imposed on August 5, 8, 16, 17, 23, 24 and 31. Issuing an order on Monday, the state government announced changes in four out of seven days of the lockdown. The revised dates are August 5, 8, 20, 21, 27, 28 and 31.
It has been stated that "several requests and appeals have been received from different quarters to relax complete lockdown on certain dates which are coinciding with some festivals and local community-based customs".
On August 16 and 17, there is a festival in Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram and Midnapore. Sources said this has come as a major reason behind changing the dates of the complete lockdown. Earlier, the state government had decided not to impose the same on the days of Bakri Eid and Raksha Bandhan.
On all the seven days of the complete statewide lockdown in August, all government and private offices, as well as commercial establishments, will remain closed besides restrictions on public and private transport apart from those engaged in essential services. However, there are relaxations for essential services including health sector, courts, correctional services, electricity, water and conservancy services. "Continuous process industries" and industries with in-house workers along with capital and debt markets besides the intrastate and interstate movement of goods have also been kept out of the ambit of the lockdown.
Stating about Bengal's culture of respecting all religions in connection with BJP's demand of withdrawing complete lockdown on August 5 that is scheduled day for "bhoomi pujan" at Ayodhya for the Ram temple, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim said: "We respect all religions. But the lockdown is for the sake of the people. This is not the time to do politics."
