Maharashtra Covid-19 lockdown: Beed announces fresh curbs for 10 days, 7 days in Parbhani

AURANGABAD: Starting from Thursday midnight, Maharashtra's Beed will see stricter restrictions for a period of 10 days in the district.
During this period, exemptions will be granted to certain services including public distribution system stores and other essential services for a few hours.
The announcement was met with opposition by locals, some of whom gathered outside the district collector’s office in the afternoon and raised slogans against the imposition of fresh curbs.
After Nanded district, Beed has become the second district in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra to introduce such restrictions.
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday morning, Beed district collector Ravindra Jagtap announced stricter restrictions in the district from March 26 to April 4.
During this period, hotels, lodges, permit rooms, restaurants, marriage halls, gardens, lawns, schools, colleges and educational institutes, all the private offices, religious places, hair salons, beauty parlours, gyms, swimming pools will remain completely closed.
In addition to this, there will be restrictions on the movement of private and state-run public transport services, two, three and four wheelers, except for exceptional reasons or conditions.
At the same time, essential services including wholesale grocery stores will be allowed from 7 am to 9 am. Sale and supply of milk, vegetables will be permissible till 10 am at their respective centres/stores. Those selling vegetables on carts will be allowed to sell between 7 am to 12 noon.
Exemption has also been granted to private offices and individuals, who have to step out for filling up of challans or visiting banks due to March 31 (end of fiscal), lawyers, those into selling of seeds and agri related services, sanitary staffers, media services, fuel stations, LPG services.
Jagtap said, “The increase or drop in covid-19 cases is purely based on every individual’s behavior in public or at public places. Fresh restrictions are aimed at breaking the chain increase in numbers.”
He said that the cane cutters returning home from other districts will have to get themselves tested before entering the district.
All the students, who are appearing for the examinations, are allowed to step out while carrying their identity proofs. Even the educational institutes hosting the students appearing for examinations have also been exempted.
He clarified that none of the hospitals or veterinarians can deny services citing pandemic.
In Parbhani, the district administration headed by DM Mugalikar has ordered further restrictions in the form of curfew from Wednesday evening 7 pm till 6 am of April 1. During these days, restrictions will remain in place except for essential services.