GUNTUR/KURNOOL: With the number of Covid-19 cases continuing to shoot up, the Guntur district administration and officials of the Kurnool municipal corporation have decided to restrict the movement of people and strictly enforce physical distancing norms.
In Guntur, the restrictions will come into force from Saturday for a week, while in Kurnool town, which has been declared as a containment zone, the restrictions will be enforced from Friday.
In Guntur district, which recorded more than 600 coronavirus cases in two days, shops will be allowed to function only from 6 to 11 am, as per orders issued by Collector I Samuel Anand Kumar on Thursday. “The restrictions will be in force for a week starting Saturday. People should not leave their houses for non-emergency work, and must wear masks if they come out,” he said.
The district administration also told people to practise physical distancing if they venture out, and warned of severe action against violators. Only one person will be allowed on each two-wheeler.
In terms of the number of cases, Guntur district stands third in AP, with 3,963 cases. Traders and merchants from places such as Narasaraopet municipality have requested the authorities to impose a lockdown in their localities.
Meanwhile in Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC), which has been declared as a containment zone, officials have asked people not to leave their houses except for emergencies, and said only shops selling essential commodities may function, and only between 6 and 11 am. Medical shops and hospitals will function as usual, KMC commissioner D K Balaji said.
The announcement came on a day when a massive 590 cases were reported in the district, and 128 of them were from KMC alone. Kurnool district has recorded the most cases in the state — 4,816 — and of them, 1,559 are from KMC limits.
Hotels are permitted to operate takeaway services. Officials said people not wearing masks in public places will be fined Rs 200 for the first offence, and subsequently Rs 500.