Curfew in Maharashtra, Haryana as COVID cases soar

COVID
People wearing protective masks walk on a platform at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, March 16, 2021. Reuters/Niharika Kulkarni

Mumbai: Maharashtra Government on Tuesday announced a 15-day long statewide curfew from April 14 amid the spike in coronavirus cases in the state.

The curfew, which excludes essential services, will come into effect from 8 pm on Wednesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in his address via social media to people of the state.

Section 144 (prohibitory orders) of the Criminal Procedure Code will be in force till the "lockdown-like" restrictions are in place, Thackeray said.

He refrained from terming the new curbs as a lockdown.

There is a shortage of medical oxygen and beds and the demand for Remdesivir has increased in Maharashtra, he said, adding the Centre should help supply oxygen for coronavirus patients in the state by using Air Force planes.

"The war against coronavirus has begun once again," he said. There is a severe strain on Maharashtra's health infrastructure due to the spike in COVID-19 cases, he added.

The state government will provide three kg wheat and two kg rice free for the next one month to every poor and needy person while the coronavirus-induced restrictions are in place, Thackeray said.

Night curfew timings in Haryana from 10 pm to 5 am

Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Tuesday made a slight change in the coronavirus-induced night curfew timings, revising it from the existing 9 pm to 5 am to 10 pm to 5 am with immediate effect.

The government had on Monday decided to impose night curfew in the state amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

The order to revise curfew timings was issued by the Haryana State Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday.

The Authority had already made it clear that there shall be no curbs on inter-state and intra-state movement of essential and non-essential goods. Emergency and municipal services, people tasked with law and services, police, military and paramilitary personnel have also been exempted from the curfew.

Meanwhile, Haryana registered a big spike in cases Tuesday with 3,845 new infections, while 16 people died due to COVID-19.

(With inputs from PTI)

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