Curfew norms go for a toss as chaos rules roads in city

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, March 30

Taking advantage of the relaxation given by the Deputy Commissioner to go to banks for three hours (11 am to 2 pm) in a day, people thronged roads in large numbers, leading to a traffic chaos. They also openly defied the directive imposed by the DC on not taking out vehicles and walking down to banks and medical shops.

The road from Jyoti Chowk to Company Bagh Chowk to the Press Club was jampacked with people and parked vehicles. Besides, reports of swelling crowds at medical stores in Dilkusha Market and grocery, vegetable shops at Milap Chowk were too received, posing a challenge to police personnel who were trying to enforce social distancing.

As per sources, though the opening time of medical stores in the city was from 2 pm to 5 pm, residents start gathering outside the shops since morning. Moreover, no grocery shops in the city are allowed to sell essentials in stores and had been asked to deliver at homes of buyers. Despite that a majority of the grocery shops, especially those operating from homes or in localities, were seen dealing with customers. When asked a policeman on duty at Urban Estate, Phase II, why these people are allowed to move out, he replied that they had been asked not to stop any resident going out for buying medicines or visiting ATMs.

He said most of the residents were misusing their passes and had been moving on roads without reason. “Though the facility of home delivery had been provided, people are not following the curfew norms. They are moving on roads like any regular day. We have tried our best to tell people that it is not safe to come out of their houses, but they seem to be least aware about the Covid threat,” he said.

Another policeman said since the curfew had been imposed, people have been coming out daily to buy milk, grocery items, fruits, vegetables and medicines. He said when they stop people at nakas, many of them show their prescriptions or empty medicine packs and request to let them go. He said though there were a few genuine cases, people make excuses to roam around on roads, not understanding the seriousness of the situation.

Meanwhile, ADC (G), Jasbir Singh said people should understand their responsibility and cooperate with the administration in this tense situation by staying at their homes.

He said a strict action would be taken against all those who were violating the curfew orders.

6 booked for spreading fake news

Nakodar: The Mehatpur police on Monday booked six persons, including two women, on the charge of spreading misinformation and causing fear among people in connection with the curfew. Nakodar ASP Vatsala Gupta said the suspects had been identified as Kuldip Kaur of Udhowal village, her son Harmandip, panchayat member Bimla, Amar, Rehma and Amajit, all residents of Udhowal village. She said Harmandip had gathered residents and uploaded a video on social media claiming that several villagers didn’t have any food and the government did not pay any heed to them. She said on checking the situation at ground level in the village, all facts presented in the video were found to be false as all essential commodities were available with the residents.

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