'Janata Curfew' gets good response in Punjab, Haryana

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Janata curfew' to prevent coronavirus spread evoked a good response on Sunday in Chandigarh, Punjab and its neighbouring Haryana.

Most of the towns and cities witnessed deserted streets with shops and business establishments closed to mark the pan-India solidarity.

Reports of the shutdown of shops and other establishments were received from the Congress-ruled Punjab's Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar, Bathinda and other places.

With state-run roadways shutting their services, buses were off the roads in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

In Chandigarh, a majority of shops were slowly opening in various sectors. People also avoided morning walks in the parks in their localities and the famed Sukhna Lake.

However, the supply of milk was normal.

In neighbouring BJP-ruled Haryana, establishments providing essential services like grocery shops, petrol pumps and medicine shops were opened.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has urged the people not to panic and strongly adhere to the appeal of the Prime Minister and stay indoors to prevent the coronavirus epidemic from spreading.

He directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that there is no unnecessary hike in the wholesale and grocery rates of essential commodities. Also, steps should be taken to stop profiteering and hoarding.

In Punjab, all establishments in Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur districts have been closed while the partial lockdown has been ordered in Jalandhar from 7 a.m. on March 22 up to midnight of March 25 by the government.

Likewise, it has also been advised to close down establishments in the Kapurthala district from March 23 as precautionary measures.

Factories engaged in production of essential items like flour mills, cattle feed, food processing and pharmaceuticals would not be closed by enforcing staggering of workers and other preventive safeguards. IANS