Night curfew has been re-imposed in the entire state of Manipur with immediate effect in view of the surging cases of COVID-19 positive cases.
The order imposing the night curfew, from 6 pm till 4 am every night, was issued by Manipur chief secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar who is also the chairman of the State Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority on Friday.
The order asked district magistrates of all the districts of the state to issue orders regarding the clamping of the curfew.
Movements of essential services, goods trucks and officials on duty will be exempted, the order stated. Further, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries and all chemists and pharmacies will also be put outside the purview of the curfew.
The order further re-imposed restrictions to the mass gathering stating that social and customary ceremonies should be organised for family members only and in case some other persons are required to attend the ceremony or function, “the size of the gathering should be restricted to 20 or less persons strictly”.
It also ordered new guidelines for opening of the shops in Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar, the main business centre of the state. All shops excluding the wholesale shops will be allowed to open on the roster system.
The chairman of the State Executive, in the same order, announced adaptation of the new guidelines issued by the chairman of National Executive Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority on November 25 in the state too.
The National Executive Committee on November 25 last issued its new guidelines for surveillance, containment and caution which is to be extended till December 31, 2020 across the country.