The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday imposed a night curfew in the national capital in order to check the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The restrictions have been imposed just ahead of New Year celebrations. The curfew will be in place on December 31 and January 1 between 11 pm to 6 am, the DDMA said in its order, adding that not more than five people will be allowed to assemble at a public place and no new year celebrations, events or gatherings will be permitted post 11 pm.
No New Year “celebratory events, congregations and gatherings at public places shall be permitted from 11 pm of December 31 to 6 am of January 1 and 11 pm of January 1 and 6 am of January 2,” the Delhi Disaster Management Authority said in a statement. New Year celebrations “pose a considerable threat of the spread of the virus and may cause a setback to the appreciable gains made in the suppression of chain of transmission of COVID-19 cases in Delhi,” the DDMA said in its statement, adding that a “detailed assessment of the situation” in the city has been made in view of the the threat posed by the mutant UK strain of COVID-19 virus. There will be no restrictions on interstate and intrastate movement of persons and goods during the curfew period.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on Wednesday said that all public gatherings will be subjected to Covid-19 protocols adding that wearing of masks will be mandatory. The centre also had asked the states to consider a series of restrictions and tone down the New Year celebrations after 20 cases of new mutant coronavirus strain – believed to be significantly more infectious – were reported across the country.
