Shops to close early in Gzb; mass surveillance begins
COVID FIGHT Businesses will shut by 7.30pm; over 2K teams survey 135,460 houses for symptoms
GHAZIABAD: With the rising number of Covid-19 cases, the Ghaziabad district administration on Thursday told shops and businesses to shutter their establishments from 7.30pm to 9am. Prohibitory orders, in force through out the day, will be in place till July 31.
Earlier, the shop closing timings were between 9pm and 9am. Failure to comply with the orders that prohibit the gathering of four or more people, would attract penal action under relevant laws.
Police have been told to strictly enforce the directive.
The Uttar Pradesh government on June 30, while allowing district administrations to impose restrictions, said the night time curfew for people in the six districts of Meerut division, which includes Ghaziabad and has a higher disease burden when compared to others, will be from 8pm to 6am while the rest of the state will observe it from 10pm to 5am.
“The timing of the shops and business establishments has been revised in order to strictly enforce curfew. I have also directed the police to ensure that all station house officers (SHO) strictly enforce curfew and no one other than those involved in essential services be allowed to move during the night. The prohibitory orders have also been extended up to July 31,” district magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey said.
The traders however said that despite the earlier curfew, Covid-19 cases have failed to come down in Ghaziabad.
“The shops and markets are opening on alternate days on the directions of the district administration. In a month, one shop opens for just 12 days. This is affecting sales. On the other hand, liquor shops and malls are opening everyday. With the revised 7.30pm closing time, the traders will have to start winding up by 6.30pm so that they can also go back home before the curfew starts. We have been trying to urge administration to allow us opening on all days but nothing has happened so far. In fact Covid-19 cases have increased instead of getting decreased,” said Pradeep Gupta, convener of Vyapari Ekta Samiti – Indirapuram.
The district magistrate declined to comment on whether businesses will be allowed to open on all days but said that all efforts were being taken to curb the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
“The Union Home Minister on Thursday had met officials of Delhi-ncr and said that good practices prevailing in different areas should be adopted. We have also started a special surveillance drive and expect that more patients with influenzalike illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (Sari) will be reported in the coming days,” Pandey added.
ILI cases are those with symptoms of fever and cough, and SARI are ILI cases that require hospitalisation.
FIRST DAY OF MASS SURVEILLANCE
On the first day of the surveillance drive on Thursday, about 2,029 teams fanned out in different areas and identified 113 cases of influenza-linked illnesses and SARI besides 2500 tests were also taken up.
Under the drive each team was assigned to cover 75 houses per day and collect 4000 samples. Against the target of 152,175 houses, the officials said that teams covered only 135,460 houses. The district, as per official estimates, has about 1.2 million houses.
The surveillance drive was initiated in five other districts too -- Gautam Budh Nagar, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Baghpat and Meerut, all which fall under the Meerut division. Nigrani Samitis (surveillance committees) in 2,375 rural areas and 1,516 in urban area inform officials about suspected cases and also about adherence to home quarantine norms.
The chief minister directed for heightened surveillance activities in Meerut division. While the 1,531 teams were required to be formed in Gautam Budh Nagar, it was 2161 in Ghaziabad, 1398 in Meerut, 493 in Baghpat, 1356 in Bulandshahr and 545 in Hapur.
“Total 7485 surveillance teams have been roped in under Meerut division and they will note down all the details of people having ILI and SARI symptoms so that early treatment can be taken up. The CM has also directed that 15,000 teams should be formed for surveillance. He has also directed that quarantine centres should be formed in every district where people with symptoms will be brought and later sent to Covid hospitals if they are found positive,” said Awanish Awasthi, Uttar Pradesh additional chief secretary (home).
The officials said that 121 helpdesks have come up in Gautam Budh Nagar, 135 in Ghaziabad, 233 in Meerut, 80 in Baghpat, 138 in Bulandshahr and 97 in Hapur. The help desks have facility of pulse oxymeter and infrared thermometers so that people can come and get themselves screened.