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    Meghalaya imposes lockdown on areas sharing border with Guwahati

    Synopsis

    In Manipur, the lockdown was supposed to be over by June 30. Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the inter-district bus service will be operational between July 1 to 15.

    4 aniANI
    GUWAHATI: Meghalaya has decided that locations sharing border with Guwahati will be under lockdown. Assam health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma has hinted at some relaxation in lockdown in Guwahati after seven days.

    Guwahati is under a 14 day lockdown from Sunday onwards. Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma tweeted, “Government has decided that the locations in Meghalaya bordering Guwahati i.e Byrnihat, Jorabat till Khanapara will be under #lockdown due to the surge in #Covid_19 cases in #Assam. Inter-state movement continues to be restricted. DC will issue necessary orders accordingly”.

    With spike in cases of COVID -19, Assam government has decided on a 14-day lockdown period in Guwahati, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am across the state. For areas outside Guwahati, weekend lockdown has been ordered in town committees and municipal areas of the state.

    Sarma said, “By strict lockdown, we do not mean to behave with people strictly. What we mean is it is not possible to clamp lockdown always, this time we must make it successful and stop the spread of disease.”

    He said on Sunday that 327 new cases were detected in Assam, out of which 195 cases were reported in Guwahati City in the last 24 hours. “On Saturday one person has died, and the situation will become critical in the coming days. We have to be alert. That’s why no passes are issued even grocery shops are not allowed to operate during this lockdown.”

    The health minister said that after seven days, the government may consider opening grocery shops and vegetable shops. “Next two months is crucial for us.”

    He added that the kind of response Guwahati has given to lockdown was not witnessed during earlier lockdowns. “Opposition has the right to criticise however people will decide if lockdown is necessary or not.”

    Opposition Congress in Assam has criticised the government decision of lockdown as unilateral and unnecessary. Already Manipur has decided to extend on-going lockdown for another 15 days from July 1 to 15 in the state. In Manipur, the lockdown was supposed to be over by June 30. Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the inter-district bus service will be operational between July 1 to 15.


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