Night curfew back, educational institutes shut till January 15 in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4

With the onset of the third wave of Covid, the state government on Tuesday decided to enforce a night curfew, shut educational institutes and allow cinema halls to operate with 50 per cent capacity in a bid to tackle the spread of infection, said officials.

The movement of individuals for all non-essential activities will remain prohibited between 10 pm and 5 am within municipal limits of all cities and towns of Punjab, according to an order issued by the Home Affairs and Justice Department on Tuesday. The restrictions in poll-bound Punjab will remain in force till January 15.

All bars, cinemas halls, multiplexes, malls, restaurants, spas, museums, zoos, etc, shall be allowed to operate at 50 per cent of their capacity, subject to all staff present being fully vaccinated. All sports complexes, stadia, swimming pools, gyms shall remain closed (except those being used for the training of sportspersons for participation in national /international sports events as well as for organising national/ international sports events). No spectators or visitors are to be allowed.

AC buses will run at 50 per cent of their capacity. Only fully vaccinated staff will be allowed to attend government as well as private offices, working spaces, factories, industries, etc. All educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities, coaching institutions, etc, shall remain closed. However, these institutions are expected to maintain the academic schedule through online teaching. However, medical and nursing colleges may continue to function normally.

Other guidelines to tackle spread

• Malls, restaurants, cinema halls to run at 50% capacity
• Sports complexes, stadia, pools, gyms to remain closed
• AC buses to run at 50% capacity
• Only fully vaccinated staff to attend govt/pvt offices, factories, etc.

Govt stops salary of NHM staff on strike

Chandigarh: Acting tough against the striking National Health Mission (NHM) employees, the government has ordered to stop their salaries. Demanding regularisation of services, around 11,000 NHM employees are on strike for the past more than two months. The orders issued by the NHM Director said the salaries should be stopped till further orders. TNS

41 students positive at Ludhiana DMCH

Ludhiana: Forty-one students and a staff member of the DMCH College of Nursing, Malakpur, in Ludhiana have tested positive. Medical Superintendent Dr Ashwani Chaudhary said: “20 students have been admitted to DMCH, while the rest are in institutional quarantine at the college itself. The condition of all students is stable.” tns