Govt decides to impose lockdown in Tawang amid surge in Covid-19 cases

ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, May 15:  In a virtual extension of the ongoing week-long capital lockdown that was scheduled to end on May 17, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate, ICR Talo Potom today announced a series of containment measures applicable over the entire geographical territory of the Itanagar Capital Complex for a further  period of 14  days- from 5.00 am on May 17 to 5.00 am on May 31.
Briefing the media persons in his office chamber, the DM informed that operation of all shops and business establishments except for food, ration, vegetables, meat, milk and dairy products will remain suspended in the said period. Identified essential item shops like grocery/kirana, vegetables, meat, FMCG, etc. shall be permitted to open in the sectors for six hours daily from 6 am-12 noon on an alternate basis. The DM has directed the Administrative Officers to identify such shops in consultation with concerned corporators, DFCSO, Chamber of Commerce and APMC and notify the same in advance. All vehicular movement except those engaged in carrying essential commodities/food items and medical supplies including oxygen/oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment will remain prohibited. There will also be a complete ban on movement of individuals except for exemptions to emergency/essential services and departments and those going for COVID-19 vaccination with proof of session/site registration.
While all offices and institutions, both government and private will remain closed, Governor’s Secretariat, CMO, Chief Secretary’s Office, Gauhati High Court, Itanagar Permanent Bench, district courts, District Administration, Police, Security Forces, fire and emergency services, Home Department, Finance and Planning Department, Medical, Postal Services, NIC, APDMA, Disaster Management Department, SDRF, Power, PHED, Food & Civil Supplies, Finance, Treasury and Accounts, Bank/ATMs, IT&C, IPR, AIR and Doordarshan, Women Help Line, child protection services, LPG services including delivery, distribution and transportation of cylinders, prison related services, courier services, municipal services like cleaning and sanitation and FCI have been exempted.

Agriculture and allied activities and ongoing construction works will be allowed subject to the contractor/owner ensuring adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviours, the DC announced. The concerned administrative officers have been directed to ensure that labourers already at sites are engaged and no new labourers from outside are inducted. Further, subject to due and advance permission being obtained, transportation to and from the camp to the work site may be arranged by the concerned contractor/owner. All Administrative Heads of Departments/Heads of Departments/Heads of Offices and the core group of officers/staff in their respective department will attend to urgent and essential matters including court cases and all other government employees have been asked to make sure they are available on call. Although all religious places shall remain closed till further orders, the concerned religious head or his representative may perform minimal religious rituals/prayers.

The exemptions that have been allowed during the period are: all healthcare facilities, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, movement of healthcare workers including those for animal healthcare, COVID-19 vaccination, COVID testing and medical emergencies. There will also be no restriction on movement of officials on COVID duty (viz. Magistrates, Police, Medical, District Administration, etc.), all establishments and their personnel relating to electronic and print media, telecom/internet service providers, petrol pumps/LPG units with the caveat that there should be no crowding.
Banks/ATMs, delivery channels of food and essential services and e-commerce will also be allowed to remain open. The DC has directed the SDO Capital Region, concerned Administrative Officers, DFCSO, Capital Complex/ADO/APMC to ensure uninterrupted delivery of food and essential services in the ICR. Inter-state and inter-district movements will be allowed subject to one-time exit pass on genuine ground. For queries, the District COVID Control Room number 09362813608 (WhatsApp) can be contacted or emails can be sent to covidcontrolroomitanagar@gmail.com. Inter-state and inter-district transport services may be opened at 30% capacity observing COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
The DC also informed that students of all categories and BPL card holders shall be exempted from the cost of lodging at CCC Lekhi on production of valid ID proof. He has further requested all capital denizens to cooperate with the DA in implementing the containment order.
Meanwhile, in a separate meeting with IMC corporators, ZPMs, Administrative Officers, Arunachal Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries and market associations, the DC  briefed them about the above  containment measures and sought their cooperation for a successful implementation.
The corporators were appealed to generate awareness on Covid appropriate behaviour amongst the denizens of their respective wards.
The DC, while asking them to request the people not to panic and unnecessarily hoard essential commodities, assured that the items would be made available to them through shops in the respective sector or through home delivery services.
Mayor appeals
In view of the alarming surge of COVID cases in the capital and the state as a whole despite the week-long ICR lockdown, IMC Mayor Tame Phassang has appealed to the denizens to strictly follow all COVID-appropriate behaviour to contain the virus’s further spread.   
Speaking to reporters, Phassang informed that IMC has been sanitizing all public places like banks, police stations and other establishments since the last few days and following the request from various religious leaders also sanitized various religious institutions in the ICR today. Anyone wanting to sanitize their area may call the IMC through their local corporator, the mayor informed.
“The IMC, administration, health department and police are doing their part. But they cannot contain this virus alone and people’s support is the need of the hour,” Phassang reiterated while appealing to the denizens to extend support to the authorities in battling the pandemic.
Meanwhile, EAC Datum Gadi along with SMO Dr Dai Koyu, LO to DC, ICC Sanjiv Chakraborty and their team today carried out the burial works of two dead bodies one of which died due to Covid-19 and the other of an unidentified person preserved at the RKM Hospital.
Required formalities were carried out before the final funeral by the District Administration. The EAC informed that the funeral for the Covid patient was carried out as per the wish of the family members. 
Meanwhile, the government has also decided to impose a lockdown in Tawang district in view of the spurt in COVID-19 cases, Principal Secretary (Health) Dr Sharat Chauhan said. With DIPRO inputs

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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