Allahabad HC Orders Lockdown In Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi & Other Cities Till April 26

Allahabad High Court has ordered a lockdown to be imposed in certain cities of Uttar Pradesh. It has direct the government to strictly enforce the directive.

Lucknow: Allahabad High Court has ordered imposition of lockdown in Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur. "We direct the government to strictly enforce them forthwith," the court ruled on Monday.

In response, the Uttar Pradesh government has refused to implement a complete lockdown. "UP Government will not impose a complete lockdown in the cities but impose strict restrictions. The UP Government is submitting its reply before the Court on its observations,": ANI quoted Navneet Sehgal, Assistant Chief Secretary - Information, as saying.

 The court asked for all establishments government or private, except financial institutions, departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, to remain closed till April 26.

The judiciary was to function on its own discretion, the court has stated while ordering that all shopping complexes and malls remain closed till April 26.

"The recent surge of pandemic Covid-19 has virtually incapacitated all our medical infrastructure in the State of U.P. and specially in cities like Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur and Gorakhpur. It appears that the pandemic is teasing the system in a situation where patients have outnumbered the hospital beds and people are just running from pillar to post and in
this process attendants of patients are not only getting infected but others in public are also getting infected and a complete chain has got formed," the court order reads.

"Before it further spirals to engulf in it the entire population of these badly hit districts, it is necessary to take some harsh steps in larger public interest," it added.

Expressing over the current situation, the bench added that "One cannot even imagine what will happen if only 10% of the city population gets infected and needs medical help in hospitals".

Calling the current night curfew a "mere eyewash", the bench expressed its displeasure the way government and the State Election Commission proceeded to hold election exposing teachers and other government staff to the threat of pandemic.

The court has given following directions to be enforced from the night of April 19 till April 26 in the 5 cities:

• All establishments be it government or private, except financial institutions and financial departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, shall remain closed till 26th April. The judiciary will, however, function at its own discretion.
• All shopping complexes and malls shall remain closed till 26th April.
• All grocery shops and other commercial shops excluding medical shops, with more than three workers shall remain closed till 26th April.
• All hotels, restaurants and even the small eating points on thelas etc. shall remain closed till 26th April.
• All institutions like educational institutions and other institutions relating to other disciplines and activities be it government, semi-government or private shall remain closed including for their teachers and instructors and other staff till 26th April. (this direction is for the whole of Uttar Pradesh).
• No social functions and gatherings including marriage functions shall be permitted till 26th April. However, in case of already fixed marriages necessary further permission would have to be taken from the District Magistrate of the concerned district. Gatherings would be limited to 25 persons and the district magistrate concerned shall take decision after giving due consideration to the prevailing situation of the impact of Covid 19 including notification of containment zones in the area where such marriage has to take place.
• All religious activities in public of any kind is directed to remain suspended till 26th April.
• All religious establishments of any kind are directed to remain closed till 26th April.
• All hawkers including fruits and vegetable vendors, milk vendors and bread vendors, shall go off the road by 11 AM every day till 26th April.
• Containment zones shall be notified every day in two leading Hindi and English newspapers having wide circulation in the districts of Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar/ Dehat and Gorakhpur.
• All public movements on roads would remain restricted completely, subject to the above directions. Movements would be only allowed in case of medical help and emergencies.
• In addition to the above directions, the State Government has been directed to go robust in implementing the current vaccination programme.

"We are still of the view that if we want to break the chain a lockdown for a duration of at least two weeks is a must," the bench stated directing the government to consider the imposition of a complete lockdown in the entire state for at least a period of two weeks.

"This would not only break the chain of the spread of the virus but would also give respite to health workers," it added.