Chandigarh announces weekend lockdown

On Friday, due to the rise of COVID-19 cases, Chandigarh announces a weekend lockdown. The lockdown will start from 10 pm on Friday night to 5 am Monday morning.

A high-level meeting, chaired by UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore, took place for considering this matter and putting it into action.

Previously UT Adviser Manoj Parida stated, “Various measures will be discussed at a meeting scheduled for Friday.”

The measure to be discussed upon were weekend lockdown. Apart from this, closure of restaurants, gyms, cinema halls and malls were under consideration. But no update on this has come forward. The only restriction that came into force is the weekedn lockdown.

What is open in the weekend lockdown

1. All essential services will be allowed
2. Restaurants are allowed to do home deliveries
3. NDA and other exams would not be affected as students could travel carrying their admit cards.
4. COVID-19 vaccination drive will continue despite the weekend lockdown

Other restrictions

1. Night curfew still prevails from 10 pm to 5 am.
2. Restriction on gatherings — 200 people for outdoor events and 100 people for indoor
3. Rock garden is already shut down
4. Sukhna lakh is closed on weekends for public

What is under consideration apart from the weekend lockdown

The administration is considering to odd-even formula for the shops in the city. Furthermore, only 50 % of staff may be allowed in the offices to curb the exposure of COVID-19 among humans. There might be restrictions on visitors in government offices to check over-crowding. Ban on cultural, social or religious gatherings is also on the table.

While all this is happening and about to happen in the city, UT Advisor, Manoj Parida, asked RWA’s to name & shame those not taking the vaccination.

This attracted a lot of eyes on Twitter.

FOSWAC chairman Baljinder Singh Bittu was not impressed by the statement and said, “It is not required. People should be made aware rather than being shamed. The Administration should do governance, not dictatorship. People can be made aware through RWAs.”

Convener, City Forum of Residents’ Welfare Organisations, Vinod Vashisht, remarked, “The Administration should first name and shame its health workers or frontline workers who have not got themselves vaccinated. Residents should be named and praised, and not shamed. They should instead be encouraged for vaccination.”

Meanwhile, Manoj Parida said, “Any group, association or society can approach the Administration with a list of 100 eligible persons for vaccination. The Administration will arrange a special camp near their place. Also, our ambulance will pick up old, disabled eligible persons for vaccination, if they register with us.”

Next Read: Water wastage will cost ₹5,000 fine in Chandigarh

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