Shivraj Singh Chouhan extends 'corona curfew' for 15 days in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced an extention of corona curfew in the state and said that the 'Janata curfew' will be in place from 10 pm on Saturday to 6 am on Monday. All schools, colleges, educational institutes, cinema halls, shopping malls, theatres, auditoriums and picnic spots will continue to remain shut.

File Photo

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday (May 31) extended the corona curfew in Madhya Pradesh for another 15 days till June 15 in view of the ongoing COVID-19 situation in the state. However, the Chief Minister cautioned the people against the situation and added that 'it was a matter of happiness that the state's positivity rate has come down to 1.6 per cent while the case recovery rate has gone up to 96 per cent.'

"Infection has been controlled, but the crisis is yet not averted. We need to be cautious..The corona curfew will continue in the state till June 15 with several relaxations," CM Shivraj said during a COVID-19 review meeting. He said the crisis management groups will decide about the exemptions from the restrictions and review the situation every third day.

He said a 'Janata curfew' will be in place from 10 pm on Saturday to 6 am on Monday. Also, the night curfew will remain in force in the entire state from 10 pm to 6 am every day. 

The MP CM said that despite the relaxations, cultural, political, social, and entertainment activities will not be allowed. Sports events and fairs will also remain banned. He said schools, colleges, educational institutes, cinema halls, shopping malls, theatres, auditoriums and picnic spots will remain shut.

Only four persons can gather at a religious place while marriage ceremonies could be attended by a maximum 20 people. The number of people at a funeral procession is capped at 10, he said. He said only six persons can gather at a place in the public activities that are allowed by the government.

Industrial activities, hospitals, nursing homes, petrol pumps, chemist shops, ration shops, agricultural activities among others will be allowed during this period. 

"There are no COVID-19 cases in Khandwa while less than 10 new cases were reported in 30 districts," he said.

The Chief Minister urged shopkeepers to deliver goods only to those customers who are following COVID-19 protocols like wearing of masks. 

Appealing to the people to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, CM Shivraj said they need to be careful to avoid the projected third wave of the pandemic. "We are working to make arrangements for the third wave of the pandemic, but we need the self-discipline to control the pandemic," he said.

Meanwhile, the district administration on Monday extended the COVID 19-induced curfew in Bhopal till June 15, an official said.

The 'corona curfew' in Bhopal was first enforced on April 12 and later on extended several times. The curfew was supposed to be lifted at 6 am on June 1. 

Madhya Pradesh on Monday (May 31) reported 1,205 fresh COVID-19 cases and 48 fatalities that took the tally of infections to 7,80,030 and the toll to 8,067, a health official said.