NEW DELHI:
The Delhi government on Monday directed the closure of all gymnasiums, nightclubs, theatres, weekly markets and spas in the city till March 31, apart from gatherings of more than 50 people.
Making the announcements, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also urged people to postpone impending marriages, if possible. “Gatherings of over 50 people has been barred in Delhi, excluding marriages. We request people concerned to postpone marriages, if possible,” Kejriwal told the media after a meeting with the Special Task Force.
He also informed that all the weekly markets in Delhi will also be suspended till March 31. Kejriwal said all the shopping malls should be disinfected daily and shall also make provisions of availability of an ample number of hand sanitisers at main entrance.
The special task force headed by Kejriwal has also ordered all the DMs and the SDMs to install hand wash dispensers across Delhi. “Entry in malls should be allowed only after cleaning hands with the sanitisers. The area SDMs have been asked to arrange for handwashing facilities. They were directed to arrange for hand sanitisers in public places where mobile washbasin cannot be installed,” Kejriwal said.
The Delhi Health Department has also issued an order regarding the announcements to deal with the coronavirus spreading. The order says that mass gathering is restricted to 50 people till March 31.
“Any gathering — social, cultural, political, religious, academic, sports, seminar, conference and family mass gathering, except marriage, is restricted to a maximum of 50 persons in Delhi till March 31,” the order said. The order, Kejriwal said, is extended to the protests in the city, including the Shaheen Bagh protest.
“We are following all the guidelines being issued by the Centre,” the Chief Minister added. Asking the people to contribute in the same, he urged the public to stop shaking hands, avoid touching the face and keep cleaning the hands repeatedly.
Kejriwal said seven coronavirus cases were reported in Delhi, of which four are recovering in hospitals.
“One death has been reported so far, while two persons have recovered,” he said. The Aam Aadmi Party government has already shut the schools, colleges, Anganwadis, cinema halls and public swimming pools to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The IPL matches and mass gathering of over 200 people were barred until now.
On shutting down the malls, Kejriwal said the government also have to see that “the essential commodity is not affected.” “One by one we have shut all the public places.”
On community transfer of the virus, he said: “Thankfully, community transmission has not started yet in India.” Kejriwal said the SDMs have the power to act against those not following the orders, as coronavirus has been declared an epidemic in Delhi and India.
