After Lucknow, night curfew imposed in 7 more UP districts

Noida/Allahabad (UP), Apr 8: The authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar, Allahabad, Meerut and Ghaziabad imposed night curfew to tackle the spiralling coronavirus cases.

In Bareilly, the night curfew will be imposed from Friday, while similar restrictions were imposed in Kanpur and the Lucknow Municipal Corporation areas on Wednesday, taking the number of such districts to seven.

Till Thursday, coronavirus has killed 9,003 people in the state, while the infection count stands at 6,54,404.

The fresh restrictions will be in force from 10 pm to 5 am till April 17 from Thursday night in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad, the orders said.

The movement of essential goods or commodities and medical and other essential services will be exempted from the restrictions, the orders issued by the Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar district magistrates said.

All government and private educational institutes, except medical, paramedical and nursing colleges, shall be barred from holding physical classes till April 17 in the two districts.

All exams, however, shall be held according to the schedule and are exempted from this order.

Gautam Buddh Nagar DM Suhas L Y said there should be an intensive enforcement of masks and other anti-COVID protocols in public places, including workplaces, by police and incident commanders and by departments concerned.

"The night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am will be imposed from tonight till April 17 to efficiently check the spread of the COVID-19 in Ghaziabad," Ghaziabad DM Ajay Shankar Pandey said.

Central and state government officials, medical staff will remain exempt from the night restrictions. Pregnant women and those in need of medical help too are exempted, the orders said.

Travellers going to the airport, railway stations and bus stands will be allowed movement during the night if they show valid travel tickets, the orders stated. Print and electronic media workers, too, will be exempted from the restrictions.

People violating the restrictions will be punished under the Disaster Management Act, the two administrations warned.

In Allahabad, the authorities imposed the night curfew from 10 pm to 8 am till April 20.

According to an order issued by DM Bhanu Chandra Goswami, schools will remain closed and only students appearing for board classes will be allowed to come to the school.

In Meerut, the restrictions will remain in force from 10 pm to 5 am till April 18.

According to the orders issues by DM K Balaji, schools, colleges and coaching centres will also remain shut during the period. However, examinations will continue.

In Bareilly, night curfew will be imposed from Friday from 9 pm to 6 am in areas falling under municipal corporation''s jurisdiction. The order, issued by District Magistrate Nitish Kumar, will continue till April 20.