Solidarity shutdown a success in Punjab and Haryana, social distancing a learning

Streets, roads and public places across Punjab and Haryana wore a deserted look on Sunday as people chose to stay at home in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a ‘Janata Curfew’ to check the spread of the coronavirus. The 14-hour-long solidarity shutdown began at 7 am and responding to the Prime Minister’s call, people chose to stay indoors. Only a few people ventured out to purchase essentials like milk and medicines.Shops and commercial establishments remained shut as traders supported the appeal.
No public transport was seen on the roads in any of the cities in the state states and following the PM’s call people came out to their balconies and main doors at 5pm to show support to those providing essential services. They rang prayer bells and utensils, while others clapped to applaud “corona warriors”. However, at some public places people came out, gathering together and defeating the purpose of call for social distancing.
Few devotees visit Golden Temple
All market places remained closed in Amritar and people remained indoors. There was a sharp decline in the number of devotees visiting Golden Temple, however, religious services, including kirtan, continued as usual. Durgiana Mandir and many other famous shrines of the city remained closed for devotees. In the walled city , a few people were seen sitting outside their shops and houses. All the market places also remained closed in Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts.
However, in Pathankot, a group of aggrieved people staged protest in front of the civil hospital against alleged police inaction in a murder case. Civil surgeon Dr Vinod Sareen said they had three suspected Covid-19 patients in isolation ward of the hospital and their virology report was awaited.
Malwa observes complete bandh
The entire Malwa region of Punjab was shutdown. Barring medicine shops, all other business establishments stayed closed. The train and bus movement came to a grinding halt. Similar scene were witnessed in Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Faridkot, Moga and Muktsar districts. The police personnel at many places asked people to remain indoors.
The Bathinda civic authorities sprayed disinfectants at various public places. Seven samples of suspected patients of Covid-19 were collected in Bathinda and report of four has been found negative and rest were awaited. 163 persons have been quarantined at their homes in Bathinda.
Patiala in slow mode
There was hardly any movement in Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala and Sangrur districts. The district administrations said only one person from each family could go out to get essential goods. During the ‘janata curfew’, security personnel questioned those violating the restirctions. The DCs also directed police, municipal officers, SDMs, civil surgeon, assistant excise and taxation commissioner, district food and civil supplies controller, community work Officer, BDPOs to ensure effective implementation of these orders. Ropar deputy commissioner Sonali Giri reminded people that lock down was to continue till March 31 with government orders listing establishments and essential services or shops exempted.
Ferozepur rly junction stays clam
All roads in Ferozepur city and cantonment were deserted, with barely a few private vehicles seen plying. Hawkers remained off roads, with people confining themselves to their homes. News of lock down in the state till March 31, created some panic among the residents but there was unprecedented calm as part of the social distancing exercise in order to help check the spread of coronavirus. The Ferozepur railway station also wore deserted look as the train service under Ferozepur railway division remain suspended.
Life at standstill in Ambala division
Three districts of Ambala division — Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Yamunanagar — observed ‘janata curfew’ on Sunday as life came to a standstill. Ambala Cantonment railway station, one of the major junctions of the Northern Railway, hardly had any footfall. Some liquor stores were also found open in Pehowa area of Kurukshetra and in Yamunanagar and at some places, but police shut them down. In Ambala city, around 1,100 shops in Asia’s biggest cloth market remained shut, along with 300 shops of in Sarafa Bazaar. In the historic gurdwaras, including Panjokhra Sahib and Manji Sahib in Ambala, which normally remains crowded on Sunday, hardly any visitors were seen.
National highway-44 empty
The national highway-44 wore a deserted look on Sunday in Karnal district. Bastara toll plaza in Karnal, which usually has more than 25,000 vehicles crossing it every day, remained empty. Although police, administration and ambulance vehicles movement was seen on NH-44, presence of private vehicles was minuscule. All hotels and dhabas remained shut. In Panipat too, there was overwhelming response to the shutdown call
Public places sanitised
Deserted roads, empty and locked restaurants, closed markets and eateries marked the Sunday in Rohtak. Meanwhile, the district authorities used the opportunity to sanitise the market, public places, temples, parks and roundabouts. Rohtak mayor Manmohan Goyal said that they were making all efforts to sanitise the city area and in second phase would sanitise residential colonies too. In Hisar too, the situation was identical. Although police vehicles were patrolling, they did not have to force people to stay in. On the other hand, liquor shops were reported to be open in Uklana.
Jind boys go viral
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar tweeted a video of two Jind boys playing tunes of songs like ‘ham honge kaamyab’ and national anthem ‘jana gana mana’ on a piano in their balcony to make public aware about the event. The CM said in his social media post that “I believe that the rest of the state’s people will follow the nice step and appeal of these two kids to fight against the epidemic. The boys, Pankaj and Pankesh, are native of Rohtak Road area in Jind district and study in Class IX. They said, “Everyone is fighting Covid-19 across the world. We dedicate our music to those working in hospitals, all sanitation workers, mediapersons, police and administration.”