Amid the surge in COVID-19 positive cases in Tripura, the State dovernment has decided to impose a seven-day “total lockdown” along the Indo-Bangla border areas of the state from Friday.
The lockdown will be imposed within one kilometre radius of rural areas and 0.5 km radius of municipal areas from the international border.
Tripura chief secretary Manoj Kumar said that the spread of COVID-19 cases in the border areas has posed a major threat to public health, hygiene and safety of people.
“It is also felt that unless stringent measures are put in place to contain the spread of the pandemic, there is a chance of large-scale spread of COVID-19 in the population which is likely to cause loss of human life,” said an order issued by the chief secretary.
As the Chairman of the State Executive Committee of the Tripura State Disaster Management Authority and in exercise of powers conferred under Section 22 (2) (h) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Chief Secretary has enforced the total lockdown in the border areas.
According to the order, movement of individuals will remain strictly prohibited except during emergency in the lockdown-bound areas.
All government and private offices will remain closed except those exempted. All kinds of business and commercial establishments, shops and trade institutions will not be allowed to function except those dealing in essential goods like grocery, medicines, etc.
All industrial activities, public transport and movement of private vehicles have been banned.
Hotels and hospitality services, all educational institutions, places of worship, religious congregations and all social, political, cultural and religious functions will not be permitted in the lockdown-bound areas.
The Chief Secretary also issued another order for enforcement of restrictions in government offices including those of government bodies, public sector undertakings, subordinate and attached offices, etc., with regard to official meetings, compulsory use of face masks, hand sanitizers, etc.