Delhi govt imposes weekend curfew amid rise in Covid cases
Darpan News Desk IANS, 04 Jan, 2022 11:58 AM
New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) Amid a surge in Coronavirus cases, the Delhi government on Tuesday decided to impose a weekend curfew from January 8.
During weekdays, the metros and buses will run at full seating capacity with strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines.
"Covid-19 cases are on a rise in Delhi and the rest of the country. However, it is a relief that the Omicron variant here is showing similar trends to that of the world's. It shows mild symptoms that are curable at home isolation. But we still need to take necessary precautions to curb the infection," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting held today.
The Deputy CM noted that serpentine queues outside metro stations and bus stops could become potential spots for spread of virus. "The crowd outside metros and bus stops could easily spread the virus. In order to avoid that, both the modes of public transportation will run in full capacity but with strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocols," he added.
Updating the media on the total number of Covid cases in the union territory, Sisodia said: "Delhi has reported around 11,000 positive cases in the past 8-10 days. Of these, around 350 patients are in hospital, 124 need Oxygen and seven are on ventilator."
He urged the people to step out only when it is an absolute necessity after wearing a mask and to maintain social/physical distancing.
Triggered by the newly emerged Omicron variant, Covid-19 situation in Delhi is deteriorating on a daily basis. On Monday, the national capital recorded 4,099 fresh infections and a positivity rate resting at 6.89 per cent. Both are the highest since May 18, 2021, when the city logged 4,482 fresh cases at a test positivity rate of 6.89 per cent.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the farmers' group, submitted before a bench headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that road blockade would end, if permission is granted to continue the protest either at Ramlila Maidan or Jantar Mantar.
Farmers protesting on the Ghazipur border at Delhi for the last 11 months against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre last year, have started to open the service lane to ease the traffic. They said it is the police who have closed the road and not them. Farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Thursday started removing the tents built on the service road to start the traffic movement.
Two days after announcing to launch his own political outfit to serve the interests of the people, two-time Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday slammed AICC general secretary Harish Rawat, saying the party has damaged its own interests by not trusting him and giving the party into the hands of an 'unstable person' like Navjot Sidhu.
The data comes on a day when India reached the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations, and demonstrates that lack of vaccine hesitancy has played a big role in achieving this number.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Singh, submitted his client has been in jail for the past two years, and added that his custody is not required, as two charge sheets have already been filed.
Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for delay in recording statements of witnesses before a judicial magistrate in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, where eight persons were killed, and also told the state government to dispel the impression that it is dragging its feet in the matter.
