Week-long lockdown imposed in Nepalgunj

Banke District Administration Office (DAO) has imposed a week-long lockdown in Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City.

As per the notice issued by the DAO today, the lockdown order came into effect from midnight on April 20 and will last till midnight on April 28.

Citing that the number of active coronavirus cases has reached 735 and that the beds in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities in the district hospitals are already overcrowded, the DAO issued a lockdown order today.

The restriction has been imposed 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.

Vehicular movement, banks and financial institutions, shops and stores except for those providing daily essentials and emergency services have been asked to close down. Furthermore, unnecessary movement of people has also been curtailed for a week from today.

Entities that have been allowed to stay open during the lockdown include those dealing with health, peace and security, electricity, drinking water, waste management, cooking gas, petroleum supply, vegetables, food, milk and medicines. The district administration has also allowed banks to operate their ATM outlets. Public construction works prescheduled academic examinations, and airline services will also be allowed to operate.

Likewise, the vehicles and equipment that could be operated include, ambulance, hearse, fire brigade, vehicles for diplomats with blue number plate and others with flag, vehicles operating on the long route and transportation vehicles, vehicles carrying construction materials, vehicles operating for emergency workers and vehicle with issued permission.

The concerned staff will have to carry their identity cards and related documents. Likewise, shops selling vegetables, food, milk and cooking gas can operate from 9:00 am to 6:00 am.

Those who violate the lockdown order will be punished as per the Communicable Disease Act, 2020 and Local Administration Act, 2028.

The sub-metropolis has already ordered the closure of all the educational institutions for a week since Friday.  Likewise, movement to Rupaidiha, which lies across the border in India, has also been banned in view of the rapid surge of coronavirus cases in India. India has recorded 295,041 new COVID-19 cases and 2,023 more deaths as of Wednesday.