Lockdown Begins in Udupi District; People Rush to Buy Essential Items
Udupi: The ordinary people in Udupi district rushed to buy essential commodities on Tuesday, March 24 morning as the lockdown announced by the state government until March 31 to contain the spread of coronavirus began.
The Karnataka government on Monday night announced a lockdown from March 24 till the month end all over the state as seven new COVID-19 cases were reported taking the tally in the state to 33.
The lockdown did not apply to essential services and activities such as the sale of grocery, vegetables. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and private bus operators have suspended their operations. Both private and public modes of transport remained inaccessible to the public. Taxis and autorickshaws also remained off the road. The roads wore a deserted look. Almost all shops, restaurants and other establishments remained closed.
As per the government order all shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories, workshops, godowns shall close their operations. Banks/ATMs and related activities, Print and electronic media, IT and ITeS, including telecom, postal and internet services and others which provide essential goods and services are excluded from the restrictions.
Health services, medical shops, optical stores, manufacturing units engaged in the production of essential commodities, telecom, internet, Information Technology and Information Technology enabled services, postal services, fire, civil defence and emergency services are also exempted from the restrictions.
“The plying of private vehicles shall be permitted only for procuring essential commodities and exceptions,” it said, adding that all Ola, Uber, taxis, autorickshaws and other hired services shall not be permitted for passenger transport except for procuring essential commodities and medical emergencies.
All government offices dealing with non-essential services as notified by the government shall remain closed, the order said, as it also called for stopping of all prayer and festival gatherings in the nine districts.
Warning against violating the regulations the order said that those in violation would have to face the law under Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, sections of IPC, among others.