Assam imposes full lockdown in 3 districts, Bokakhat; restrictions ease in Guwahati

Assam government on June 26 revised its standard operating procedure (SOP) on COVID-19 pandemic and imposed total curfew in at least 3 districts, along with Bokakhat sub division, to contain the spread of the viral infection.

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In an order issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority, the state government stated that ‘round the clock’ curfew will be observed in Morigaon, Biswanath and Goalpara districts and Bokakhat sub division.

Among the restrictions include total closure of all shops (excluding medical stores and others notified) and business establishments in the mentioned total containment areas.

The order further relaxed restrictions in several districts where the COVID-19 situation showed improvement in the past few days. Kamrup Metro, which comprises the main city of Guwahati, will be under curfew from 5 pm onwards daily while shops and businesses are allowed to open till 4 pm. Similar restrictions will be followed in Udalguri, Dima Hasao, Charaideo, Majuli and Bongaigaon districts apart from Kamrup Metro.

Online delivery of food and other essentials may continue beyond the 5 pm limit.

The restrictions notified for most of the districts – including Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Sivasagar, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Jorhat and others – are stricter than those announced for Kamrup Metro and Bongaigaon. These districts will be under lockdown from 2 pm onwards with shops and businesses open only till 1 pm daily.

The revised SOP also puts a blanket ban on inter-district travel in Assam.

Further, the government has ordered all its employees who have taken at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination to attend offices, except in total containment zones. The order stated that private establishments may take a decision based on their requirements.

The order further stated that all educational institutions will remain closed while they will be offering online mode of teaching for their students. Also, teachers and faculty members are exempted from attending schools and colleges unless they are required to be present for emergency services like flood or COVID relief, the order said.