COVID-19: Lockdown in 10 urban areas of 4 C'garh districts

Areas under urban bodies in Bilaspur, Surguja, Korba and Rajnandgaon districts have been declared as containment zone where several activities will be restricted for seven to eight days, he said. Restrictions will be in place in Bilaspur Municipal Corporation, as well as Bilha and Bodri Nagar Panchayats of Bilaspur district from July 23 morning till July 31 evening, a public relations department official said.

Lockdown will be imposed in ten urban areas of four districts in Chhattisgarh due to a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in the last one month, an official said on Monday. Areas under urban bodies in Bilaspur, Surguja, Korba and Rajnandgaon districts have been declared as containment zone where several activities will be restricted for seven to eight days, he said.

Restrictions will be in place in Bilaspur Municipal Corporation, as well as Bilha and Bodri Nagar Panchayats of Bilaspur district from July 23 morning till July 31 evening, a public relations department official said. "Ambikapur Municipal Corporation area in Surguja district has been declared a containment zone from July 22 midnight till July 29 midnight. Rajnandgaon Municipal Corporation will have restrictions during the same period," he said.

The lockdown will be effective in Korba Municipal Corporation, Katghora and Dipka municipal councils and Pali and Chhuriyakala Nagar Panchayats in Korba district from July 22 till July 28 midnight, he said. "During the lockdown, all government, semi-government, private offices will be closed. All officials and employees will work from home. In case of any requirement, they can be called to office. All public transport services, including buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws etc will be shut. Emergency medical services will be allowed to ply," the official said.

"Private vehicles engaged in essential services and transportation of essential commodities will be permitted to operate. Commercial cargo vehicles will be allowed in these prohibited zones during night hours. Shops, commercial institutions and weekly markets will remain closed in these ten urban areas," he added. However, certain relaxations have been allowed for factories, construction and labour works in these containment zones, he said.

In case any COVID-19 patient is identified in these factories/units, the management will have to bear the entire cost of treatment, he said. All religious, cultural and tourism spots will remain closed.

However, availability of essential services and goods will remain unaffected during the lockdown periods in these areas, he said. All Central government offices, state offices dealing in law and order and health services, hospitals, medical colleges, pharmacy, and food supply have been kept out of the purview of the lockdown, he said.

Power, water-supply and municipal services, fire- tenders, ATMs, telecom/internet/IT based services, mobile recharge and services, petrol/diesel pumps etc will not be affected, while banks will function with minimum staff strength, he added. Notably, the Raipur district administration on Sunday had announced a seven-day lockdown in limits of Raipur and Birgaon municipal corporations of the district with effect from July 22.

Chhattisgarh has so far recorded 5,425 COVID-19 cases, of which 1,626 are active ones. So far 3,775 people have been discharged and 24 others have died. Of the positive cases, over 3000 were reported in the last one month only.

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