As COVID19 positive cases continue to surge, night curfew has been imposed in the East Khasi Hills district from July 20-27.
The night curfew will remain effective from 9 pm to 5 am.
The curfew has been promulgated as preventive and mitigation measures to identify and take more stringent steps so that the pandemic is contained, reduced and eliminated in East Khasi Hills district and Meghalaya by way of rigorous contact tracing, testing, quarantine, isolation and ensuring observance of strict protocols of the advisories issued by the Meghalaya government through the health department.
A total of 343 positive cases have been detected only in East Khasi Hills district.
The night curfew is being promulgated by the district magistrate, East Khasi Hills under Section 144 CrPC, read together with Regulation 3 of the Meghalaya Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020.
The district magistrate said the order will not apply to security forces, medical teams on duty, wholesale and retail pharmacies, police and armed forces, fire & emergency service, MeECL, NEEPCO and Power Grid, food and civil supplies department, FCI, PWD, PHE and Shillong Municipal Board.
Postal service, telecom, communications and IT services, press, print and electronic media, petrol pumps including Indian Oil Corporation, essential services including health services, hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary clinics, labs and online/home food delivery have been exempted from the purview of the order.
However, home delivery of food shall be exempted only up to 10 pm.
Authorized workshops and designated spare parts dealerships of health department and government officials on duty.
These services shall strictly comply with all protocols and procedures including social distancing, limiting of field staff to the barest minimum and other advisories of government in the health department, without fail.
Movement of vehicles carrying essential goods, security forces, medical equipment and shops for repair of trucks on highways have also been exempted.
However, the drivers and attendants of the vehicles shall be subject to medical screening as per laid down protocols.