The Himachal Pradesh government has announced the curfew restrictions in the state due to the rising positivity rates for COVID-19 in India. Witnessing an unprecedented surge in Covid cases, the state government made new ruled in the state. The curfew will start from May 7 (Midnight) and will continue till May 16. However, according to the rules released, essential services will remain operational during the period of corona curfew in the state.
The decision to impose the “corona curfew” was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. Besides essential services such as those related to health, electricity, telecommunication, water supply, and sanitation, the state government ordered the closure of all other private and government offices.
The cabinet also decided that civil worksites and horticultural, agricultural, and other projects would continue to work. Meanwhile, educational institutions would remain closed till May 3, as decided in the cabinet meeting. Amid the sweeping restriction to stem the COVID surge in the tourist state, the HP government has announced that no one will be allowed entry inside the state without a negative RT-PCR test report, not older than 72 hours.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also added that Government and private transport vehicles will be allowed to ply with 50 per cent occupancy. Furthermore, Industrial establishments will work as per guidelines issued by the state government.
The cabinet has also decided to cancel the class 10th board exams of the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE). The students will be promoted to the next standard, that is, Class 11 as per norms suggested by the CBSE for its students of the same class, an official said. Whereas, the class 12th board exams and the annual examinations of colleges will remain suspended until further orders. Revised dates for the postponed exams will be announced on the situation is better.
