India / It'll hasten the 3rd COVID-19 wave: HC on violations of norms in Delhi markets

New Delhi: Taking cognizance of images of crowded marketplaces in the national capital, the Delhi High Court on Friday said that there is a need for stricter restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The statement came after a review of photos where people were seen flouting Covid-19 safety norms. The HC bench has asked authorities in Delhi to sensitize shop owners about the rules.

"Such breach of Covid protocol will only hasten the third wave, which cannot be permitted at all," said the HC.

The court has also issued notices to the Centre and Delhi government, asking them to file a status report in the matter.

Delhi unlock

The court's observations came as the Delhi government allowed resumption of the maximum of the business activities that were curtailed when the second wave of coronavirus hit.

As part of the phased unlock plan, all markets are allowed to remain open in the national capital now between 10 am and 8 pm.

Weekly markets have also restarted, but with 50% capacity and only one market per day in each municipal zone. Further, restaurants have reopened but with 50% of seating capacity.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had stated while announcing the unlock 3.0 guidelines that the curbs are currently being eased on a trial basis for a week.

"We will observe this for one week. If cases increase, stricter restrictions will have to be reimposed, otherwise, it will be continued," he said.

Covid situation

The national capital recorded 10 more deaths due to Covid-19 and 158 fresh cases of the disease on Thursday while the positivity rate dipped to 0.20%.

These new fatalities have pushed the death toll in the city to 24,886. The national capital on 3 April had also recorded 10 deaths due to Covid-19.

The infection rate, which had reached 36% in the last week of April, has come down to below 0.50% now.

Despite fall in daily cases in the last several days, Kejriwal has cautioned that the chances of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic were quite real, while he asserted that his government was preparing on a "war-footing" to combat it.