Lockdown in Dakshina Kannada till March 31

The move is to encourage people to maintain social distancing and prevent community spreading of COVID-19

The main road at Bejai in Mangaluru wearing a deserted look during the ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday.

There will be a lockdown in all of Dakshina Kannada till midnight of March 31. Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B. Rupesh issued an order to this effect on Sunday.

She has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code across the district from 9 p.m. on March 22 till midnight on March 31, to encourage people to maintain social distancing and prevent community spreading of COVID-19.

The clampdown however does not apply to essential services and activities, namely the sale of food, groceries, milk, vegetables, fruits, and meat and fish, all kinds of goods transportation, police and fire and emergency services, all offices of government and local bodies, power, water and civic services, banks, ATMs, telephone and internet, home delivery of food, medicines and medical equipment, takeaway from restaurants, markets and shops related to agriculture, sericulture, horticulture, dairy farming and fishing, and canteen services being provided by the government and local bodies.

What has been banned is the operation of all buses, both KSRTC and private, within the district and to other districts and States. Entry of people to beaches is also banned.

The order states that shops, commercial complexes, workshops and warehouses which do not offer emergency services should shut down.

Industries should operate on 50% workforce, using staff on rotation basis. IT and biotechnology units should make their employees work from home, and only those employees who are required for emergency services should be allowed to work at the units.

The order also states that people were not allowed to hold functions at their homes with large crowds. People should not come out of their houses unnecessarily, except for emergencies.

All cultural programmes, jatras, conferences, seminars, sports events, competitions, summer camps, and music concerts have been banned during the period. The order also states that no one will be allowed to apply for permissions from the district administration on personal grounds.