Containment Zone residents to be allowed out to buy essentials before Guwahati enters lockdown

Guwahati: Before Guwahati city of Assam enters yet another coronavirus-triggered lockdown at midnight on Sunday, June 27, the residents of Containment Zone areas in the city will be allowed to stock up on items, said Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna.

An order promulgated by Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna read, "Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup Metropolitan is hereby authorized to allow restricted movement of persons of Containment Zones for a limited period on Saturday the 27th June 2020, and Sunday, the 28th June 2020, as deemed fit, for facilitating the purchase of essential items."

The Chief Secretary added that while allowing such movement, it shall be ensured that no crowding of any market place is allowed to occur and all protocols for COVID-19 as issued by the Health Department are maintained without fail.

"Orders for existing containment zones or lockdown areas in Guwahati City. Please don't crowd. Maintain social distancing and wear a face mask while purchasing household goods", G P Singh, ADGP (Law and Order) advised in a tweet.

The Assam Government, taking cognizance of the steep spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, has decided to clamp another lockdown in Guwahati in an attempt to flatten the curve.

"This will trouble people, it will harm the interests of the business establishments. However, the Government has to take tough decisions., These decisions are painful, but with great pain and sorrow, we have to take this decision. We did not think that we would have to shift from an unlock phase to lockdown, but we had no other option", Assam Finance and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said earlier, making the announcement.

Things have taken a worrying turn in the city where 762 people have tested positive for the contagion since the Government launched its targetted surveillance programme. Meanwhile, Assam has registered 6,646 cases of the virus, out of which 2,601 cases are active. So far, 9 people have died due to virus-related complications.

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