Meghalaya: Night curfew in East Khasi hills extended till August 17

Guwahati: Amid the steady and alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases across Meghalaya, War Nongbri, the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, on Sunday extended the night curfew in the district till August 17.

The order, which comes into force today, prohibits movement between 9 pm to 5 am, every day.

However, some categories of persons have been exempted from the curfew. The exempted categories of persons are as follows -- security forces, medical teams on duty, wholesale and retail pharmacies, police and armed force, Fire and Emergency Service, MeECL, NEEPCO and Power Grid, Food and Civil Supplies, PWD, PHE, Information, and Public Relations Departments, FCI, Shillong Municipal Board, postal service, telecom, Communications, and IT Services, Press, print and electronic media, petrol pumps, Indian Oil Corporation, essential services including health services, hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary clinics, labs, authorized workshops and designated spare parts dealerships of Health department, government officials on duty, officers and staff of Corona Care Centre, National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd online or home food delivery.

According to the DC's directive, the home delivery of food shall be allowed till 10 pm.

Curfew passes shall be available at www.eastkhasihills.gov.in.

"Passes for all forms of outward interstate movement from East Khasi Hills district will only be issued by the District Magistrate, East Khasi Hills District," the order further added.

In an order, the DC has allowed shops operating from fixed premises to open as scheduled from 8 am to 8 pm in Shillong Urban Agglomeration for areas falling under Police Bazaar, GS Road (Khyndailad to Motphran), Keating Road, Jail Road, Motphran, Anjalee Point, Mawlonghat, Iew Mawlong, Cantonment, retail shops of Jeep Stand, Garikhana and Paltan Bazaar. However, cyber cafe, gaming parlors, jackpot parlors, and lottery counter will remain closed till further orders.

According to the order, standalone shops allotted serial numbers 2 and 4 will open on August 10, 12,14, 18, 20, and 22 while standalone shops allotted serial numbers 1 and 3 will open on August 11, 13,15, 17, 19 and 21.

"For shops in shopping malls and complexes except for Glory's Plaza, JM Towers and Jivan Ram Complex and Khasi Market, shops allotted serial numbers 2, 4 and 6 will open on August 10, 12, 14, 18, 20 and 22 while shops allotted serial numbers 1, 3 and 5 will open on August 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21," the order said.

Wholesale shops, both essential and nonessential, operating from fixed premises in areas falling under Jeep Stand, Garikhana, Paltan Bazaar, and areas from Anjalee Point to Mawlonghat will also open from 8 am to 8 pm every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. However, on every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, they will open exclusively only for doorstep delivery to their retailers, till further orders.

In Glory's Plaza, JM Towers except for COSMOS and Jivan Ram Complex (Bhutia Market) shops allotted serial number 3 will open on August 10 and 22, shops allotted serial number 4 will open on August 11 and 17, shops allotted serial number 5 will open on August 12 and 18, shops allotted serial number 6 will open on August 13 and 19, shops allotted serial number 1 will open on August 14 and 20 and shops allotted serial number 2 will open on August 15 and 21.

For Khasi Market below Jaiaw Taxi Stand at Motphran, shops allotted serial numbers 3 and 6 will open on August 10, 13, 19 and 22, shops allotted serial numbers 1 and 4 will open on August 11, 14, 17 and 20 and shops allotted serial numbers 2 and 5 will open on August 12, 15, 18 and 21," the order said/

For shops located at Jhalupara and Mawbah, shops allotted serial numbers 1 and 3 have been directed to open on August 10, 12, 14, 18, 20 and 22 while shops allotted serial numbers 2 and 4 will open on August 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21.

At the same time, the DC, in a separate order, has allowed 451 identified shops from fixed stalls in the iconic Iewduh market to open from 8 am to 6 pm, strictly on a rotational basis and alphabetical pattern.

However, the DC stated that the operation of these 451 shops must strictly adhere to the prescribed SOP and mandatory compliance to all the advisories of the Health and Family Welfare Department, without fail.

The Syiem of Hima Mylliem has been directed to regulate the operation of these 451 shops and also to ensure due compliance to the advisories laid down by the government.

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