New Delhi: The government on Sunday announced that more than 80 districts across the country would be put under a lockdown, an unprecedented move aimed at stopping the spread of novel coronavirus. The Delhi government has ordered all businesses to pull down their shutters and private transport operators to stay off the roads in a full lockdown of the national capital. The borders will be sealed and only those people who are in a list of what is considered “essential services” will be allowed to move freely.
However, essential services will be operation during the lockdown. Here are the services which will continue to remain open:
- Offices charged with law and order and magisterial duties
- Police
- Health
- Fire
- Prisons
- Fair price shops (public distribution system)
- Electricity
- Water
- Municipal services
- Activities related to functioning of legislative assembly of Delhi
- Pay and accounts office (only for salary/wages/contingent/health and essential services related expenditure)
- Print and electronic media
- Cashier/teller operations of banks (including ATMs)
- Telecom, internet and postal services
- E-commerce of all essential goods including food, pharmaceutical and medical equipment
- Food items, groceries (fruit/vegetables/milk/bakery items, meat, fish, etc)
- Milk plants
- General provision stores
- Takeaway/home delivery in restaurants
- Chemists and pharmacies
- Petrol pumps, LPG/oil agencies (including their godown and transportation-related activities)
- Animal fodder
The government has said it will ensure essential items are available across Delhi and has asked people to guard against panic-buying. The total number confirmed coronavirus cases in India climbed to 415 after fresh cases were reported from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and other states.