Shops and stores dealing in essential commodities can remain open 24x7, Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal announced on Thursday.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said orders had been issued to police and district officials to ensure that such stores were adequately stocked. Similar orders had been issued regarding units manufacturing such items. Mr. Baijal and Mr. Kejriwal were speaking at a joint digital press conference.
“Whoever wants to open establishments providing essential services and products 24x7 can do so,” Mr. Baijal said.
“We have asked all police officers and district in-charges to ensure that all shops or stores dealing in essential items are fully stocked; we have also asked them to ensure that units manufacturing such items are operational,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Mohalla clinics
The Chief Minister also sought to dispel rumours regarding Mohalla clinics being asked to down shutters after a doctor engaged at one of these in north east Delhi’s Maujpur tested positive for COVID-19.
“After a Mohalla clinic doctor contracted the coronavirus, there is a rumour doing the rounds that all such clinics will be shut; that is not the case, these will remain open,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
This, even as, the Chief Minister said, there were currently 36 cases of COVID-19 in Delhi.
As many of 26 of these cases, he said, were related to individuals who had travelled abroad and the rest were related to those who had contracted the virus via contact.
“The situation is under control so far...please follow the provisions of the lockdown so that we can prevent infection as much as possible,” he said.
