District Collector announces new rules for extended lockdown in Vizag

Visakhapatnam District Collector, V Vinay Chand (IAS), addressed the media along with Visakhapatnam City Police Commissioner, RK Meena (IPS), and Superintendent of Police, Attada Babujee (IPS) regarding the new rules for extended lockdown in Vizag. The District Collector said that the Central Government has issued orders to extend the lockdown for two weeks. He stated that the entire Visakhapatnam district has been placed under the orange zone. The orange zone is further divided into two units. While the 98 wards under the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is considered as a unit and the other unit constitutes the rest of Visakhapatnam district. He also said that the district’s status will be reviewed every week as per the Central Government’s directive. The District Collector also discussed the new guidelines instructed by the Indian Government to demarcate containment zones in Vizag.

According to Visakhapatnam District Collector, V Vinay Chand, “It is forbidden for people to be out on the roads from 7 pm in the evening to 7 am the next morning unless there is a medical emergency. Walking in public places is prohibited without a legitimate cause. Young children, the elderly and those with health ailments should not come out. Furthermore, citizens can only come out for buying essential commodities and medical supplies, otherwise, they should not come out.

Only essential stores in residential areas that have a permit will be allowed to function. The District Collector emphasized that social distancing must be practised at these shops as well and they will only be open from 7 am to 1 pm. No more than 5 persons can gather at the stores at a single time and only 1 person per household is allowed to go to the store. The store workers must use masks, gloves and sanitizer without fail. As stipulated by the centre, the national and international airlines, trains have been banned. Interstate bus services and the inter-district, buses from district to district will remain banned, until further notice. As part of extended lockdown rules in Vizag, cinema halls, shopping malls and gyms are to remain closed. He also stated that the arrangements are being made for the migrant workers and stranded students in the district to move back to their hometowns. The workers will be consulted and passes will be made for inter-district or inter-state travel.”

The District Collector also shared about the new rules to demarcate containment zones in Vizag. Previously, the residence of the coronavirus patient was considered as an epicentre. A 3-km radius surrounding the patient’s home was marked as a containment zone and the 2-km radius surrounding the containment zone was considered as a buffer zone. As per the new guidelines, the Indian Government instructed to demarcate the containment zones based on the dispersal of cases and the ease of enforceability. A clearly defined geographical unit like a ward, a colony or a village panchayat will be taken as a containment zone, hereafter. According to the new rules, there are a total of 15 containment zones in the Visakhapatnam district. SP Attatta Babujee stated that Section 144 is in force at the containment zones.

Commissioner of Police, RK Meena stated that citizens must practice social distancing measures when they come out to buy essentials. He said that particulars of hospital visits must be logged in. Those who come to the hospital should get the thermal screening done before entering the hospital, said the Commissioner of Police.