Villages across Telangana in self-lockdown mode

Traders reduce business hours; weekly markets suspended in some villages

Hyderabad: With a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases, many villagers in the State are going in for self-lockdown. While traders are closing businesses early, village elders and panchayats are restricting various activities in their respective villages to reduce human interaction.

The State government has already imposed a night curfew in the State restricting the movement of people and operation of businesses from 9 pm to 5 am. Despite this, there has been a spike in Covid-19 cases in certain pockets. Fearing that the pandemic might spread further, the villagers are imposing restrictions for one to two weeks or until the situation improves.

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For instance, Khammam Merchants Association decided to impose a partial lockdown by reducing business hours in the city from Saturday. Accordingly, shops would be open from 8 am to 2.30 pm.

Similarly, a total lockdown was imposed in Cherla mandal headquarters of Kothagudem district while the weekly markets in Bhadrachalam and Dummugudem mandals were cancelled indefinitely.

Gram panchayats are passing resolutions to impose the lockdown while village elders in some tribal hamlets are asking the residents to observe lockdown voluntarily. In Salooora village of Bodhan mandal in erstwhile Nizamabad district, villagers have decided to close shops and business establishments voluntarily and are not allowing any outsiders to enter the village. The villagers are allowed to buy essential commodities for two hours in the morning every day. Similarly, in Gandhari mandal headquarters, the Village Development Committee (VDC) and the Gram Panchayat Committee have taken a joint decision a few days ago to impose a lockdown in the village.

Not only villages in and around Warangal city but also those located in the remote parts of the district and on the forest fringes are observing the lockdown by passing a resolution in favour in this regard at the village elders’ meeting or at the Gram Panchayat meeting. Villages, including Madikonda under GWMC limits, Ayyavaripeta, Chintur, Dharmaram and Mangapet in Mulugu district, Elakaturthy, Hasanparthy, Kamalapur, Garmillapally and Mulkalagudem in Warangal Urban district have voluntarily imposed lockdown. Kirana shops and other commercial establishments are being kept open from 7 am to 10 am and from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm at Mulkalalagudem. At Garmillapally, shops are allowed to run from 6 am to 12 am and the lockdown will end on May 31.

As part of the self-imposed restrictions with the cooperation of merchants, all traders, except those of medical, fruit and kirana stores, have decided to shut their business establishments in Yadagirgutta of Yadadri-Bhongir district after 2 pm. The restriction would continue until a further decision is taken by the municipal counciḷ. Miryalaguda Two Wheelers Associations also have decided to shut down their shops from May 10-20 in the town in Nalgonda district. Suryapet Brahman Association too decided not to perform rituals in functions, including marriages, until May 30.

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