Weekend lockdown in Haryana has been declared after the state witnesses sudden spike in COVID-19 cases. No shops, malls or offices, only essential services will be allowed to run. By Tanvi Jain
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In the light of the rising COVID-19 cases across Haryana, the state government has imposed a weekend lockdown, which means that all non-essential shops and services will remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays. “All offices and shops except essential will remain closed in Haryana on every Saturday and Sunday due to #COVID__19,” Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij said in a tweet.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also confirmed the same on his twitter handle. He had, however, earlier stated that a lockdown of just two days over the weekend will not serve the purpose unless it’s imposed for 14 days.
The state recently witnessed a sudden spike in cases after the novel Coronavirus infected more than 51,000 people and killed at least 600 others. Earlier on August 20, the state had recorded its highest single-day spike of 996 cases. As of the whole of India, the country has already crossed three million cases with over 51,000 deaths (as on August 24, 2020).
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The decision was however not welcomed by the members of mall and market association, as many complained of confusion amid sudden announcement, demanding at least one of the weekends for their business to remain running.
Deputy Commissioner Amit Khatri also appealed to the residents to follow the COVID-19 protocols seriously as the state has witnessed a sudden surge in the number of cases in the past week. Meanwhile, MCG Joint Commissioner Hariom Attri reportedly confirmed of constituting five enforcement teams to keep a check on all shopping malls, markets, private offices and shopping complexes, that they are strictly following the order, except for chemists and grocery stores.
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Moreover, after Haryana, as of last Friday, the Chandigarh administration also imposed weekend lockdown except for essential service providers. Earlier, even Punjab had also announced daily night curfews from 07:00 pm to 05:00 am, and weekend lockdown across the state, until the end of the month. This includes restrictions on private and public transport, a ban on public gatherings, other than weddings and funerals, and closing half of the shops selling non-essential goods in the five districts that are worst-affected.
Related: Bihar Extends Lockdown Till September 6 And How It Will Impact Travel To The State