Lucknow, July 15: Weekly ban will continue in the state till July 31. However, no decision has been taken for the complete lockdown across the state from July 16 to 31. Additional Chief Secretary Home Awanish Kumar Awasthi on Wednesday completely denied the reports getting viral on various social media platforms of complete lockdown in the state.
He told the media that no new orders of any kind have been issued. The order of weekly lockdown on Saturday and Sunday issued on July 14 will remain in force.
In fact, there was speculation about a complete lockdown in the state on social media, by which Additional Chief Secretary Home clarified the situation by dismissing it.
He informed that in view of the present situation of corona pandemic and communicable diseases and according to the decision made by the government regarding its effective control, various restrictions will be in force in the state every Friday night from 10:00 am to 05:00 am Monday. During this period, all government offices in the entire state will remain closed. Necessary services and bank services will remain open.
All urban and rural haats, markets, galla mandis, commercial establishments etc. will remain closed. In the remaining days, the period of opening of all these will be from 09:00 AM to 09:00 PM. Weekly closure on other days of the week will also be kept on Saturday-Sunday only. So far, weekly markets are organised on both these days from now will be organised any day between Monday and Friday. All religious places can be open during this period, ensuring adherence to physical distance and other health related restrictions.
Additional Chief Secretary, Home said that during this period all the industrial factories located in rural and urban areas of the state including IT and ITES related industries will also continue to operate. In these, Covid help-desks will also be mandatorily established in all industrial units, ensuring strict compliance with physical distance and other health related restrictions.
“During this period, all essential services such as health and medical services, supply of essential commodities will continue to operate as before and there is no restriction on the arrival of persons working in these services, corona warriors, sanitation workers and door-step delivery,” told Awasthi.
Adding further, ACS Home told that the movement of Railways and the buses of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will continue as before. The buses will be arranged by the UPSRTC as necessary for the movement of passengers coming by rail.
“International and domestic air services will continue unchanged. There will be no restriction on the movement of passengers from airports to their destinations. There will be no restriction on the movement of cargo vehicles. Transport will continue on national and state highways and petrol pumps and eatries will remain open,” confirmed officer.
“During this period, the district administration will launch a massive campaign for sanitation and clean drinking water supply. All the officers and employees involved in this will be free from these restrictions and the offices related to them will also be open,” added Awasthi.
ACS Home added further through the Corona and Communicable Disease Surveillance Team, the Health Department is carrying out a comprehensive medical screening and surveillance campaign of all the members living in each house, which will continue and the offices related to them will also be open.
“There will be no restriction on the arrival of all the workers engaged in these works. Along with this, expressways, big bridges and roads, major construction of Public Works Department, government buildings and private projects will continue in this period,” Awasthi concluded.
