Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, April 9
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday evening announced partial lockdown in the state and indicated night curfew may be imposed after review of the Corona situation in next three days. CM said Governor has been requested to convene an all-party meeting on Corona crisis soon.
After presiding over the meeting of the Crisis Management group. Nitish Kumar said government has decided to order closure of all shops and commercial establishments at 7 pm till April 30. Eateries and restaurants will be allowed to operate with 25 per cent occupancy.
Admitting that there had been an unprecedented increase in Corona positive cases, CM announced officers above the rank of deputy secretaries would be allowed to have daily presence and among the sub-ordinate officers, only 33 per cent attendance would be permitted by rotation.
All religious places will remain shut till April 30. There would be no public celebrations of Ram Navami and Chhath festivities. Masks for the morning and evening walkers in the parks has been made compulsory.
Chief Minister said health officers have been directed to conduct antigen tests of all those returning from Maharashtra and 18 railway stations in the state. Those found having positive symptoms would be detrained and taken to the nearest quarantine centres. At Patna junction, 17 passengers who had come from Lokmanya Tilak station were found positive and sent to quarantine centres.
Nitish claimed there was no shortage of vaccine in the state. Nine lakh vials reached from Pune on Friday afternoon and sent to the vaccination centres. Vaccination had to be stopped at government hospital here as neither Covishield nor Covaxin was available.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed to observe the four days period of April 11 and April 14 as Vaccination festival to mark the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Phule and Ambedkar. State has requested for additional quota of vaccines as four lakh people would be vaccinated daily against 1.15 lakh daily at present on Mission Mode.
