JAIPUR: As the coronavirus cases go up at an alarming rate in Rajasthan, the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government has imposed Section 144 in 11 of the 33 districts of the state.
This apart, the state government has also decided to continue the ban on social and religious gatherings till October 31. The permission for 20 people at funerals and 50 at weddings will continue to remain in place.
The worst affected districts-- Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Alwar, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Nagaur, Pali, Sikar, and Udaipur-- saw a rather quiet Sunday as the provision prohibits an assembly of more than five persons.
These decisions were taken at a review meeting chaired by CM Ashok Gehlot.
On Saturday, a record number of 1834 fresh infections surfaced in Rajasthan, pushing the total number of cases to 1,13,124 in the state. The death toll has also increased to 1322 as 14 more succumbed to the virus. Jaipur with 386 infections recorded the highest number of cases followed by Jodhpur (296), Kota (142), Alwar (115), and Ajmer (102).
Rajasthan, in the last seven days, has seen 10716 cases and 86 deaths. The total number of 1,02408 cases on September 13 jumped to 1,13,124 and Jaipur-Jodhpur registered 3780 cases during the week. As a result, the number of active cases increased by 1,343 and shot up to a total of 17,997 active cases in the state.
The state government has also launched a special helpline number which will become active from Monday, September 21. Anyone facing any difficulty related to coronavirus can call up and seek assistance. Special 'war rooms' are also being opened in all the districts. Manned by senior officials of ADM rank, these war rooms will be operated for coronavirus patients and their families and will be available for 24 hours.
Speaking to the media, CM Ashok Gehlot said that there is no shortage of ICU beds, oxygen cylinders, or ventilators in any part of the state. "If any false information about such lack of facilities is being spread, it is unfortunate," he said. He urged locals to continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing norms in all public places and also asked officials to strictly enforce the ‘No Mask, No Entry’ rule in all offices, markets, shopping complexes, tourist spots, and transport facilities all over the state.
Just a few days ago, the Rajasthan government had held a ‘Corona Awareness Dialogue’ with distinguished doctors of the country and decided to conduct a Serological Survey to ascertain the spread of coronavirus infection in the state. The serosurvey, one of the top suggestions made by the country’s leading doctors, will enable the Gehlot government to assess what proportion of the state population may have been exposed to the virus by now and initiate necessary corrective steps at the earliest.