Sunday lockdown in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a complete lockdown in the state on Sunday in view of the fast rising Covid-19 cases. Esse...

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a complete lockdown in the state on Sunday in view of the fast rising Covid-19 cases. Essential services will be exempted during the lockdown period. The restrictions will come into effect on Saturday at 8 pm and will remain in place till Monday 7 am.

The state government said that there will a complete lockdown in the both urban and rural regions of the state on Sunday. All government and private offices will be closed and a massive sanitisation programme will be carried out across all 75 districts. 

The government will also penalise all those found flouting Covid-19 rules. Those found roaming without face mask will be fined Rs 1,000 and repeat offenders will be fined Rs 10,000.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The CM who himself tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, has also ordered action under the Epidemic Act against hospitals that refuse admission to Covid-19 patients. A hefty fine will also be imposed on such hospitals.

 On Thursday, the state had announced that schools will be shut till May 15 and also postponed the state board exams.

Uttar Pradesh has shown a steep rise in Covid-19 daily cases. The state recorded 22,439 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Thursday with 104 deaths. Lucknow accounted for 5,183 of the cases followed by Prayagraj with 1,888, Varanasi with 1,859, Kanpur with 1,263 and Gorakhpur with 750 fresh cases of infection. Cities like Lucknow, Varanasi and Prayagraj are among the worst affected in the state.

Meanwhile, night curfew in 10 districts will now begin at 8 pm and end at 7 am. Night curfew is presently in force in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur City, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Shravasti and Moradabad. (Agencies)