Shops and factories associated with essential services can operate 24x7 and e-commerce companies can home-deliver essential commodities during the ongoing 21-day lockdown to contain the COVID-19 epidemic in the Capital, the Delhi government announced here on Thursday.
These announcements were made at a joint digital press conference by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after a meeting with senior administrative and police officers.
No restriction
“We have ordered that there will be no restriction on e-commerce companies providing essential services. We have also formulated a plan by which we can check if the essential services providers are working on the ground and if they have enough stock or not,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
“The SDMs and ACPs will ensure that all shops in their area providing essential services are open and they have enough stock of essential commodities. We have witnessed that the shops providing essential services are facing huge crowds and therefore, we have decided that shops selling essential items will be allowed to remain open 24×7,” he said.
COVID-19 cases
According to Mr. Kejriwal, Delhi currently reported a total of 36 COVID-19 positive cases and, in the last 24 hours, only one new case was reported.
Among the 36 cases, he said, 26 pertained to individuals who had travelled from virus-affected countries and 10 people got the virus through local transmission.
Mr. Baijal emphasised on adherence to social distancing at all times and urged people to stay at home and fully comply with lockdown advisories.
The L-G, Raj Niwas said, further instructed the district administration to ensure strict compliance of home quarantine and initiate action against violators and to create a mechanism to check if home quarantine is being followed properly.
“RWA office bearers, neighbours may also be informed about the persons under home quarantine in that residential complex/area. He also advised proper monitoring of quarantine facilities and coordination with agencies,” Raj Niwas quoted the L-G as having said.
Mr. Kejriwal said special requests had been made to facilitate people engaged in the supply and distribution of five basic essential items or like milk, vegetables, ration shops, chemists and pharmacists.
Mr. Kejriwal said he had requested the police that if they see any essential service provider on the road who does not have a pass, the police should allow them to commute.
“The government is working relentlessly to provide passes to all the essential service providers...the Delhi government has decided and issued orders that the e-commerce delivery of essential services should not stop in Delhi,” he said.
“The company ID cards of these delivery people will be accepted as their proof and they will be allowed to travel... many State governments are working in very innovative ways to tackle this pandemic and that they are constantly in touch with those State governments,” he said.
Doctor tests positive
Admitting that a doctor engaged at one mohalla clinic has contracted the virus, Mr. Kejriwal assured everyone to dispel rumours that all such clinics would be shut.
He also said that the Delhi government was also ensuring that doctors, nurses and other health officials who are dealing with the infected patients go through tests to check if they are also affected by it.
