Jharkhand government on Tuesday announced a week-long lockdown, from April 22 to April-29, named Swasthya Suraksha Saptah, in a bid to break the chain of Covid-19 spread in the state. The restrictions will come into effect from 6 am on Thursday till 6 am on April 29, the officials said.
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren said, “It has become very necessary to break the chain of soaring infection of coronavirus in the state. So, we have taken some important decisions in this regard. I hope we will be successful to break the chain of the virus through ‘Swasthya Suraksha Saptah’.”
Giving details of the fresh restrictions, CM Soren said barring shops of essential commodities, all other shops would be shut during the period. All offices will remain close excluding the central and state government offices and some identified offices of the private sector.
Religious places will be opened but devotees would not be allowed there. Residents have been asked not to venture out of their homes, excluding those who hold permits. Not more than four people can assemble in a place.
The chief minister, however, said activities related to agriculture, industry, construction and mining will function uninterrupted.
“We can stop the spread of the virus through people’s participation. So, I would appeal to the people of the state to follow the government guideline for the Swasthya Suraksha Saptah,” he said, adding that a government order containing more details about the restrictions would be issued soon.
Earlier on Sunday, the chief minister announced that all schools, colleges, coaching, training, and Anganwadi centres would remain closed for a month. The number of attendees at weddings was also limited to 50 from the existing 200 in the state.
Amid rising cases of Covid-19, THE government was under pressure for taking some strong decisions as traders and almost all political parties have been demanding lockdown-like restrictions in a bid to reduce the cases and burden on hospitals.
Jharkhand recorded 43,145 Covid-19 cases between April 1 and April 19. As many as 389 people have lost their lives due to the virus during the period.
The federation of Jharkhand chamber of commerce and industries (FJCCI) on Monday declared a self-imposed lockdown from Wednesday to April 25. However, several markets have already imposed a lockdown from Monday. Shops at many major markets in the state capital Ranchi have shut their shutters in fear of the spread of the infection.
During the all-party meeting called by the chief minister on Saturday, all major parties of the state demanded the imposition of a lockdown to break the chain of the virus. However, the Congress party was not in support of a complete lockdown. State Congress president Rameshwar Oraon called for a social lockdown and not an economic one.
(With inputs from agencies)