'New varient' scare: Mumbai gears up for night curfew; essential supplies spared
Mumbai, Dec 21: As the Maharashtra government on Monday declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas, the Mumbai civic administration moved to enforce restrictions and make arrangements to quarantine air passengers arriving from Britain, where a new COVID-19 variant is spreading fast.
The state government has declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas (cities) from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary measure amid growing concerns over the new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.
As per the state government directive, a curfew between 11 pm and 6 am will be enforced in the financial capital till January 5, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner I S Chahal said.
Chahal said essential services like vegetable and milk supply will remain unaffected during the night curfew but more than five people can not assemble at a place during the seven- hour-long period.
The IAS officer said the government decision will put restrictions on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the metropolis.
People were found violating COVID-19-related norms at pubs and night clubs during recent raids, the civic commissioner said.
As per the state government estimates, around 1,000 passengers are expected to arrive at the city airport by five flights from the UK till December 22 midnight, he said.
Chahal said all of them will be compulsorily kept at institutional quarantine facilities for seven days even if they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Passengers showing COVID-19-like symptoms will be admitted at the BMC-run Seven Hills Hospital at suburban Marol, he said.
Passengers from Pune, Nagpur and other parts of the state coming by these flights won't be allowed to go home and they will have to stay in institutional quarantine even if they do not show any COVID-19 symptoms.
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Crossing river, trekking hill voters reach polling booths to cast vote in Surguja LS constituency
Balrampur/Chhattisgarh (PTI): Enthusiastic voters reached polling booths trekking steep hilly paths, crossing a river and even on a horse to cast their votes in remote areas of the tribal-dominated Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, officials said.
Balrampur district falls under the Surguja Lok Sabha constituency which was among seven seats where polling was held in third and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state. The Surguja Lok Sabha recorded 74.59 per cent voting, as per the Turnout application.
Voters, belonging to Pahadi Korva, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, including Rajesh, Madan, Sukhu, Gopal and Nandlal, crossed a river to exercise their franchise at a polling booth in village panchayat Amera under the Samri assembly constituency, a government official said.
Similarly, electors, including Lakhan Nagesia, Sahu, Phulsai and Kalesh of Bachwar village under the Ramanujganj assembly constituency walked through hilly terrain for about two hours covering 8 kms to reach a polling booth and cast their vote, he said. A voter, Parimal Dey, reached a polling booth in Sagarpur village under the Ramanujganj assembly seat on a horse, the official said. Dey is a cattle rearer who owns 150 goats.
Two hyper sensitive polling booths -- Chunchuna and Pundag -- located in a Naxal-affected area of the district which shares border with Jharkhand, also recorded significant turnout, he said. The two booths are located in the Samri assembly constituency.
"Special security arrangements were put in place in this area to ensure peaceful voting. Voters of Chunchuna and Pudang ensured their participation in the great festival of democracy braving Naxalite threat," he said. The Chunchuna polling booth has 767 voters and it recorded 84.35 per cent turnout, while Pundag has 595 electors and it registered a turnout of 72.44 per cent till 5 pm, the official added.
