Covid curbs: Schools, cinemas, gyms shut in Delhi, shops in malls to operate on odd-even basis
New Delhi(PTI): Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday ordered closure of schools, colleges, cinemas and gyms with immediate effect and put various restrictions on the functioning of shops and public transport as a yellow alert was sounded under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The 'yellow' alert restrictions stipulate that shops and establishments of non-essential goods and services and malls will open based on odd-even formula from 10 AM to 8 PM.
The timing of night curfew imposed from Monday night has also been extended by an hour and it will now begin at 10 pm. The night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am will remain in force till further orders, stated the order issued by the DDMA.
Marriages and funerals will be allowed attendance of 20 persons while all other types of gathering related to social, political, cultural, religious and festival events will be prohibited.
Also, the Delhi Metro will run at 50 per cent of its seating capacity while auto-rickshaws and cabs can ferry up to two passengers. Busses too will ply at 50 per cent of capacity with exempted category passengers, says the GRAP.
After a high-level meeting to review the pandemic situation in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said earlier in the day that a decision has been taken to issue 'yellow' alert in view of fast rising cases of infections.
The DDMA order stated that all the restrictions as per 'yellow' alert will be enforced with immediate effect.
The GRAP approved by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) prescribes sounding of 'yellow' alert if positivity rate remains above 0.5 per cent for two consecutive days.
Delhi on Monday recorded 331 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day rise since June 9, and one death while the positivity rate mounted to 0.68 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. Positivity rate was 0.55 per cent on Sunday.
The 'yellow' alert restrictions stipulate that only one weekly market per zone with 50 per cent vendors will be allowed to open.
Restaurants will be permitted with 50 per cent capacity from 8 am to 10 pm while bars can also operate with the same capacity, but from 12 noon to 10 pm.
Besides, cinema halls, banquet halls, spas, gyms, outdoor yoga activity, amusement parks, stadia, swimming pools, schools, colleges and educational institutions will not be allowed if 'yellow' alert is sounded.
Private offices can function with up to 50 per cent of the staff. In Delhi government offices also, barring certain category of officials, only half of the remaining staff will be allowed under the 'yellow' alert.
Further religious places will open but visitors will not be allowed. Parks and gardens can however open.
The colour coded GRAP is based on positivity rate (on two consecutive days), cumulative number of new cases (over a week) and average oxygenated-bed occupancy (for a week) will designate four levels of alerts.
Further restrictions are imposed at advanced stages of 'Amber', 'Orange' and 'Red' alerts with higher numbers of new cases and hospitalisations.
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JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy behind circulation of explicit videos, alleges Deputy CM Shivakumar
Chikkamgaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday charged JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy with being behind the circulation of explicit videos allegedly linked to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, and called him "king of blackmailing" and the "lead,director, and producer of the story."
Shivakumar, also the state Congress President, was reacting to Kumaraswamy demanding his dismissal from the Cabinet, dubbing him a "key conspirator" in the circulation of alleged sex videos.
The 33-year-old JD(S) MP, who is Kumaraswamy's nephew, is facing sexual abuse charges. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
While the Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) -- NDA partners -- have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI.
"Kumaraswamy knows about the pen-drive (containing explicit video clips) matter completely. A lawyer (Devaraje Gowda) and others are speaking. Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) wants my resignation, it seems there is competition for Vokkaliga leadership. Let me give resignation, as he wants it," Shivakumar said sarcastically.
While speaking to reporters here, he said, "Finishing (politically) one after the other is his (Kumaraswamy) job. Blackmailing, (Kumaraswamy is) king of blackmail...he is threatening everyone, officers, politicians, what else he has for doing? Let him do it, there is time to discuss all this, let's discuss in the Assembly."
Kumaraswamy on Tuesday had claimed that 25,000 pen drives with videos of women being sexually abused allegedly by his nephew, Lok Sabha election candidate Prajwal Revanna, were distributed before polls, and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of a conspiracy.
The former CM also had sought to discredit the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Congress government on April 28 to probe the charges against Prajwal of sexually abusing several women after videos allegedly involving him started making the rounds on social media.
Kumaraswamy said his name and that of his father H D Deve Gowda should not be taken or linked to the explicit video clips case, as the Revanna family is seperate, Shivakumar pointed out and asked, "then why is he (Kumaraswamy) worried about the matter that is not linked to him? Having already said that action should be taken in accordance with law and the guilty should be punished, why is he speaking?"
"Is he (Kumaraswamy) a lawyer or a judge to issue the judgment? Let him go to court and argue point by point. He has called SIT -- Shivakumar Investigation team and Siddaramaiah Investigation Team, (Congress in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh) Surjewala Investigation Team. He is the lead of the story, he is the director, he is the producer, he is everything. We know what he is up to," he said.
Asked about allegations that Congress was behind the pen-drive circulation, Shivakumar said, "Kumaraswamy is getting things done by the BJP, he is behind everything, let the investigation happen."
"Let those speaking on the issue, if they have any shame, go to the victims' family and try to instill confidence and give them strength," he said.
Reacting to JD(S) staging a protest against him, Shivakumar said, they "can't sleep" without taking his name
"If they don't do it against me, their market won't run, without taking my name they won't get peace of mind, and even you (media) won't show them. More strong more enemies, less strong less enemies, not strong no enemies," he added.
