Mission Fateh: DM approves weekend and holiday curbs

Ludhiana: District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner Mr Pradeep Kumar Agrawal today informed that to check the spread of COVID 19, the Punjab government have started Mission Fateh, and the State government has approved detailed weekend and holiday restriction guidelines, as per which inter-district movement will be barred except for e-pass holders, and only shops dealing with essential commodities and services will be allowed to operate on all days of the week.
    The guidelines issued today are in addition to those notified earlier by the state government for Lockdown 5.0 / Unlock 1.0, and will remain in force on weekends and gazette holidays till further orders, under the new guidelines, shops dealing with essential commodities/services shall remain open on all days till 7 p.m., restaurants (for take home/home delivery only) and liquor shops will also continue to be open till 8.00 P.M on all days. However, other shops, whether standalone or in shopping malls, shall remain closed on Sundays, while on Saturdays they can open till 5 p.m, with the district authorities directed to ensure strict compliance of these timings.
    Inter-district movement shall be allowed against e-pass, which will be issued only for essential work, but no pass shall be required for such travel in case of medical emergency. Further, e-pass will also be required from District Administration for marriage functions, and will be issued only for 50 specific persons, for industries, the already issued orders would remain in force and the movement of labour would continue as usual.
    Expressing grave concern over the spiralling Covid cases in the district, Mr Agrawal once again appealed to the residents to strictly adhere to the social distancing norms and mandatory wearing of masks. The situation demanded stringent compliance with all the restrictions, he stressed, adding that though the situation in the district was in control, the Punjab government was not ready to take any chances, given the escalating trend of the pandemic.