COVID-19 surge | Partial to total lockdown enforced in northeastern States

Assam, Tripura opt for containment zones, night curfew

May 08, 2021 01:03 pm | Updated 01:03 pm IST

In Assam, shops are required to shut by 2 p.m. and people must be indoors by 6 p.m. Essential services have been allowed beyond the curfew hours

In Assam, shops are required to shut by 2 p.m. and people must be indoors by 6 p.m. Essential services have been allowed beyond the curfew hours

GUWAHATI: The seven contiguous northeastern States have enforced restrictions varying from partial to total lockdown for combating the surge in COVID-19 infection.

Mizoram is the only State to have announced a lockdown-like mechanism for seven days from 4 a.m. of May 10, with no resident in capital Aizawl and the district headquarters allowed to come out of their homes.

Two other State governments in the region announced similar restrictions.

While the Arunachal Pradesh government decided to enforce a seven-day total lockdown in the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) from May 10, the Manipur government said a curfew would be imposed in seven of the State’s 16 districts.

ICR consists of State capital Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa, the highway entry gate on the border with Assam.

The seven districts in Manipur under curfew are Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur and Ukhrul.

M.H. Khan, the State’s Chief Secretary in-charge, said the night curfew would continue from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. in other districts.

“The government has allowed activities that include healthcare, essential services and movement of vehicles carrying essential and other goods,” he said.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on May 6 announced total lockdown in East Khasi Hills district for five days from 8 p.m. of May 7. State capital Shillong is in this district.

“There will be weekend lockdown in the other districts with fewer COVID-19 positive cases,” he said.

In Nagaland, much of State capital Kohima and commercial hub Dimapur have been declared containment zones, which residents said was akin to lockdown. The State government has night curfew and daytime restrictions in place.

The Assam and Tripura governments have resisted total lockdown, opting for restricted market, business and office hours and imposition of night curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. till the next announcement.

In Assam, shops are required to shut by 2 p.m. and people must be indoors by 6 p.m. Essential services have been allowed beyond the curfew hours.

Data with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare show 63 people died across the eight northeastern States, including Sikkim, on May 7. Assam leads the table with 47 COVID-19 deaths.

These States have a total of 52,628 active cases, 3,680 of them having been added in the past 24 hours.

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