DAOs in Kathmandu valley issue week-long prohibitory order

• Shops selling foods, medicines, health accessories to be allowed to open till 10:00 am in the morning and from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
• Department stores' grocery section to be allowed to open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, maintaining health protocols
• All kinds of meeting, convention, seminar, training, cinema hall, party palace, swimming pool, shopping mall, gym, team sports among other entertainment sections to be closed
• Ceremonial and functions to be allowed with a maximum of 15 persons after getting permit issued by the CDO
• Entities allowed to stay open during the lockdown include those dealing with health, peace and security, electricity, internet, drinking water, waste management, cooking gas, petroleum supply, vegetables, food, milk and medicines among others
• Public and private vehicles not to be allowed to ply the road in the valley during the period of one week
• Vehicles operating under essential services to be allowed to operate after specifying the services

The District Administration Offices (DAOs) of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur have issued a week-long prohibitory order to be followed by everyone.

As per the order issued by Chief District Officers (CDOs) of the valley, the prohibitory order will come into effect from 6:00 am on April 29 and will last till midnight on May 6.

The prohibitory order has been issued in the valley in view of surging cases of novel coronavirus including the new variants on the recommendation of the District COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (DCCMC) to break the chain of the transmission of coronavirus and the order issued by the government to prevent and control the pandemic as per Section 2 of the Communicable Disease Act, 2020 and Sub-section 3 of Section 6 of Local Administration Act, 2028.

All kinds of meeting, convention, seminar, training, cinema hall, party palace, swimming pool, shopping mall, gym, team sports and recreation, library, museum, zoo among other entertainment sections have been restricted to operate. The wedding and other ceremonial functions will only be allowed to organised under the condition of following health protocols after taking permission from the DAO. The number of people gathering at such function should not be more than 15 persons.

Likewise, the order states that public and private vehicles will not be allowed to ply the road in the valley during the period. The vehicles and equipment that could be operated include, transportation vehicle carrying daily essentials, ambulance carrying no more than two persons including patient and caretaker, and vehicles belonging to health professionals and security personnel.

The vehicles operating under essential services like ambulance, drinking water, health, food, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, bank and financial institutions, telecommunication, internet, quarantine, isolation, waster management will be allowed to operate with the specifying the service. Likewise, the vehicles of government offices and others serving public welfare may operate after taking permission from the concerned ministry or the department.

The vehicles transporting manpower and construction material will be allowed to operate after taking a permit issued by the CDO, on the recommendation from the concerned project manager or the office chief.  

The vehicles that have to be used in an emergency like transportation to the hospital, hearse and funeral procession can be operated after receiving a permit issued by the CDO.

The shops selling foods, medicines and health accessories will only be allowed to open till 10:00 am in the morning and from 5:00 pm. to 7:00 pm in the evening while the department stores' grocery section will be allowed to open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The order further states that the shops selling food, grocery items and medicines will have to operate maintaining health safety measures.

Likewise, government employees, BFIs staff and others working in the fields dealing with essential services will be allowed for movement on producing identity cards issued by the respective offices.

The mediapersons and journalists will be allowed to go on reporting on producing identity card issued by the Information Department.

Likewise, it is mandatory for people entering the valley to stay in quarantine or isolation. All the services except for the essential ones will have to be put off. 

Nepal has seen a surge of cases of coronavirus infection of late. On Monday only, the Health Ministry reported 3,442 new cases in Nepal taking the country's COVID-19 tally to 303,561. Additionally, 114 persons have tested positive for the virus in the Antigen test.