Bihar imposes night curfew amid Covid surge

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the decision after meeting officials of the crisis management group

Patna: Amid the worsening Covid situation, the Bihar government has decided to impose night curfew from Sunday (April 18) across the state to break the chain of infection.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the decision after meeting officials of the crisis management group. He had earlier participated in an all-party meeting under the chairmanship of Governor Phagu Chauhan on Saturday.

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“As per the decision of the crisis management group, we have imposed night curfew in the state. Besides, all educational institutions will remain closed till May 15. We have directed top officials of the district to implement the restrictions and take strongest possible action against the violators,” he said.

Nitish Kumar, however, said that competitive examinations such as the BPSC, the SSC and technical selection commission examination will be completed on scheduled time. The night curfew starts from 9 p.m. and ends at 5 a.m. Marriages, cremation, burial and travelling are exempted, but for cremation/burial, only 25 persons are allowed and for marriages, 100 persons.

The Chief Minister also announced that cinema halls, theatres, malls, gyms, swimming pool, parks, restaurant and eateries will stay closed till May 15. Restaurants and eateries can only provide home delivery.

Further both private and government officers will be operational till 5 pm on working days, and organising private or government events in common places would be punishable. Nitish Kumar also said that Section 144 has been imposed in urban areas and some rural areas falls, but emergency services such as medicine shops, hospitals services, fire, police, ambulance, post, banking, and transportation services will function.

“We have directed the authority to ensure liquid oxygen in medical colleges and hospitals in the state. Doctors will also provide treatment to Covid patients in sub-divisional hospitals and primary health centres. The authority should closely monitor people coming from other states,” he said.

Noting that corona cases were steadily rising with 8,690 new cases on Sunday, he said authorities have been asked to ensure RT-PCR test reports in minimum time. “We have also asked authorities for daily monitoring for patients staying in home isolation,” he said.

The Chief Minister also said that they had have appealed migrants to come to Bihar “as soon as possible so that we could make arrangement for them accordingly in quarantine centres”.