Manali: Sending a stern message to all those who have been violating the shutdown ordered by the government on Monday, the authorities by Tuesday evening had imposed indefinite curfew in the entire state.
After imposing curfew, chief minister Jairam Thakur in a video aired over the social media and other platforms said that the people were refusing to adhere to the lockdown and the government was forced impose a curfew in all 12 districts of the state.
“The government was alarmed with the first coronavirus death in the state and extraordinary steps were being taken to save the lives of the people,” said Jairam Thakur.
The curfew would continue till further orders, said the chief minister.
Being a peaceful state where curfew has never been imposed, it is for the first time the government has taken such a tough stance to fight COVID-19.
With two coronavirus positive patients in quarantine in Kangra district and one death recorded from COVID-19 infection in Kangra district, the government had already imposed curfew in Kangra and Una districts.
Violators of the lockdown are being booked and a police release detailed that by Tuesday evening as many as 43 FIRs had been registered against those who violated the government order. Fifteen of these FIRs were lodged in Kangra district and 11 in Mandi district.
Here in Kullu valley, 2 FIRs have been lodged.
Richa Verma, district magistrate of Kullu, notified that during the curfew days shops dealing in essential commodities would be open only for a limited time and the people would be notified from time to time about when they could go out for buying their necessities.
“If any vehicle or person is found violating the curfew for no valid reason, such persons would be booked and arrested,” said Richa Verma.
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
