Manipur has been put under total lockdown till March 31 to combat the possible spread of the coronavirus in the state.

The state cabinet, in its meeting held on Monday, decided to announce a total lockdown.

Announcing this at a news conference, information and public relations minister Th. Biswajit, also the government spokesperson, said shops and markets located in the rural areas would be allowed to sell essential items like vegetables and groceries.

Essential services like medical, electricity and water supply will exempted from the purview of the lockdown, Biswajit said.

The state government will distribute the April quota of rice under National Food Security Act (NFSA) to the card holders free of cost.

He appealed to anyone who has symptoms of the virus to get himself or herself tested. A number of people who have been tested positive for the virus have recovered and survived, he added.

The markets of Itanagar and Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a scene of utter chaos and confusion on Monday after the government’s announcement of a statewide lockdown to curtail the spread of coronavirus.

Chief secretary Naresh Kumar on Sunday evening announced that the lockdown would come into effect from 5pm on Monday and continue till March 31.

Most vegetables were almost out of stock by 2pm.

One of the vendors said they have sent vehicles to Assam to refill their stock but they were yet to return.

“Most the markets which supply vegetables to us from Assam are also closed. I had ordered potatoes and other vegetables but they have not arrived till now. Even if it comes, we are sure of a price hike,” she said.

A consumer who was seen loading sacks of potatoes, cabbages and other edible items in his SUV, when asked about it said “it was normal shopping for his house”.

Long queues outside petrol pumps were also witnessed.

Capital Complex deputy commissioner Komkar Dulom convened an emergency meeting with the representatives of all market welfare associations, transport federations and petrol depot owners and sought their cooperation to make the lockdown a success.

Dulom directed the shops selling essential items not to hoard and sell them above MRPs and cautioned that strict action would be initiated as per relevant sections of law.

He also convened a meeting with all the officers, magistrates and police about their roles and responsibilities.

Shillong shutdown

A five-day lockdown has been declared in Meghalaya, declared deputy chief minister, Prestone Tynsong.

“As preventive measure, the state government has decided to put the entire state under lockdown for five days. We call this a ‘self-imposed lockdown’ which will first start from Monday 10pm and continue till 5am of Thursday. We have decided to relieve the people of the state on Thursday to buy buying essential items and we will create more markets in Shillong city and outskirts,” Tynsong told reporters.

No case of coronavirus has been found in Meghalaya so far.

Tynsong said the lockdown would become effective on March 27, 28 and 29 and arrangement will be made for distribution of essential groceries to local stores in the localities. Government offices will function with an overall strength of 30 per cent.

Tynsong said that ïewduh, the main market in Shillong will be closed during the lockdown period, on Thursday, there will be a temporary markets to sell, and meat from Anjalee point to Cantonment police beat house, and other places like Lad Smit, Madan Umdiengpun at 7th Miles Upper Shillong and Mawlai area, besides Polo area.

He said banks will function with restrictions mostly transactions related to cash deposits and withdrawals everyday from 10am to 2pm.

Informing that sufficient essential commodities will be available in all district headquarters, Tynsong said movement of vehicles ferrying essential commodities, security forces, medical equipments and goods vehicles are also exempted from the lockdown.

However, drivers and attendants of the vehicles shall be subject to medical screening.

Tynsong also thanked the people of the state for cooperating with the government.

Additional reporting by Damien Lepcha in Itanagar and Rining Lyngdoh in Shillong