Rajasthan's Barmer under lockdown for a week over COVID-19 cases

Jaipur: Barmer district collector (DC) Visharam Meena has ordered a lockdown of Barmer town for the next seven days, which started on Friday from 7 pm onwards, because of a spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the areas under the civic body’s jurisdiction.

All areas under the municipality’s jurisdictions have been directed to strictly comply with lockdown norms till July 10, the DC said.

Only essential services such as ambulances, chemist shops etc are being allowed to operate during the prevailing lockdown phase and grocery stores are permitted to remain open between 10 am and 2 pm daily.

Barmer has reported 392 Covid-19 positive cases, including 191 active ones and four deaths, to date.

On Friday, DC Meena held a meeting with the trade association and local public representatives in a bid to assess the ground realities about the viral outbreak. He imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) after the meeting.

The 1973 order empowers an executive magistrate to issue orders in urgent cases such as a healthcare emergency and bars unlawful assembly of people.

However, the ongoing lockdown is not applicable to government and private offices, offices of local body departments, post offices, banks, insurance offices, hospitals, medical stores, petrol pumps, cooking gas agencies, and dairy booths.

Government employees are allowed to move within Barmer civic area limits, but they need to carry their identity cards on them.

While Barmer sub-division officer (SDO) has been entrusted with the responsibility to provide permission to others for any movement in the town amid the prevailing lockdown restrictions.