Assam Govt Relaxes Curfew Timings as Covid-19 Situation Improves

The Assam government on Monday relaxed curfew timings in view of an improvement in the COVID-19 situation. Curfew will be enforced between 6 pm and 5 am across the state, an order issued by Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua, in his capacity as the chairperson of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), said. The order will come into force from 5 am on August 10 in both urban and rural areas. Assam’s daily count of positive cases has come down to less than 1,000 in the past one week and the daily positivity rate has been less than one per cent in the last fortnight.

Currently, there are 9,712 active cases in the state. According to the order, all workplaces, commercial establishments, dine in restaurants, hotels, resorts, dhabas, and other eateries, showrooms, cold storages and warehouses, shops dealing with groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder will be open till 5 pm across the state. All inter-district passenger transport services and movement of people to and from other districts shall remain suspended but the movement of goods will continue.

Public transport authorities will have to enforce COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and seating inside the vehicles, carriers, and containers. Public gatherings are allowed up to 10 people for marriage or funeral rites. Wearing of face mask is compulsory in all public places. Excise authorities will take strong action against the illegal production and sale of country liquor in all the districts. The order further said that restrictions on inter-district passenger transport services and movement of people to and from other districts, need-based conduct of offline classes in some premier institutions, graded re-opening of religious places, and state-protected monuments and sites will be comprehensively reviewed depending on the reduction in the COVID-19 caseload.

Other restrictions including the odd-even formula for plying of vehicles, declaration of containment zones, and exemptions as notified earlier will continue to remain in force. The order mentioned that in case the number of COVID-19 positive cases crossed more than ten in the last seven days, the district magistrate will declare it as total containment zones in consultation with the Mission Director of the National Health Mission.

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