NEW DELHI: With Covid-19 cases in the capital showing a southward trend over the past few days, the Delhi government on Friday proposed lifting the weekend curfew. Lt-Governor Anil Baijal, however, rejected the proposal. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority later issued an order stating that the night curfew, as well as the weekend curfew, will remain in force till further orders.
Private offices were allowed to function with 50 per cent capacity. However, they were advised to stagger the office timings and also the number of staff so as to ensure that the social distancing protocol can be adhered to. “They are also advised to follow the practice of work from home, as far as possible,” read the order.
The AAP government criticised the L-G’s refusal to allow lifting of weekend curfew and ending the odd-even system in markets for opening of shops. “It’s very unfortunate that the L-G has rejected the strong demand of traders and business community with regards to the Covid restrictions. He has rejected the proposal of the elected government of Delhi despite the fact that corona cases are reducing at a very fast pace,” said AAP’s chief spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj. “When all the markets of Gurugram and Noida are open, why is the business community of Delhi made to suffer by BJP’s central government?”
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that CM Arvind Kejriwal had approved lifting weekend curfew, ending odd-even arrangement in markets and allowing private offices to operate with 50 per cent capacity.
“The good news is that the peak in Delhi has gone. With over 28,000 infections, Delhi had witnessed maximum cases on January 12. The positivity rate had also gone up 10 days ago. However, the positivity rate is also declining slowly,” Sisodia said.
To contain Covid spread, the Delhi government had shut restaurants, gyms, and educational institutions. However, it didn’t want anyone to lose job and hence, seeing the current graph of cases, was ready to relax restrictions, he said.
Danger has subsided
“Experts had warned that Delhi can record one lakh cases daily during this wave but that danger has been averted,” health minister Satyendar Jain said, adding Delhi has passed the peak of this wave.