Actively considering lockdown, night curfew — Delhi govt tells HC

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS): The Delhi government on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that it is “actively considering” the option of imposing night curfews or a lockdown in the national capital and this would depend on the Covid-19 situation.

“We’re actively considering imposition of lockdown or night curfews but no decision has been taken on it yet,” said advocates Sandeep Sethi and Satyakam on behalf of the city government.

The submissions came as the court heard a Public Interest Litigation filed by advocate Rakesh Malhotra seeking increasing the Covid-19 testing numbers in the national capital and getting speedy results.

The response came after a division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad enquired from the Delhi government if it is planning to impose night curfews or weekend curfews like various other cities have done due to rise in Covid-19 infections.

Following these submissions, the bench said: “It is now for the Delhi government to take a call as to whether night curfew is required to be imposed in Delhi or some parts of Delhi and/or other measures need to be adopted to contain the virus. Delhi government shall take a decision on this aspect and implement the same without losing further time.”

During the hearing, the court also asked the Delhi government as to whether the order directing a maximum number of 50 guests at a marriage ceremony has been strictly enforced and the SOPs drawn up in this regard.

In response, the government counsel said that there is a procedure already in place which involves the district administration and the local police.

The bench has now asked the Delhi government to inform on the next date of hearing about the data regarding the number of complaints received and/or how many inspections have been conducted.

With regards to the burial or cremation of those who have succumbed to Covid-19, the Delhi government said they have sufficient capacity in the city.

“The present capacity of the crematoriums in Delhi is 380 bodies per day and the said capacity can be enhanced, if necessary,” it submitted through Sethi.

Voice of dissent can’t be muzzled indefinitely, says Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday once again reiterated that voices of the protesting farmers “cannot be muzzled indefinitely” and the “Centre should initiate talks”.

“The voice of farmers cannot be muzzled indefinitely. Centre should immediately initiate talks with Kisan Union leaders to defuse the tense situation at the Delhi borders.

“Why wait till December 3 when the situation is getting out of hand now?” a tweet by Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral quoting Amarinder Singh said.

In a series of tweets, the Chief Minister said the central government “needs to show statesmanship and accept the farmers’ demand for assured MSP (minimum support price), which is the basic right of every farmer”.

“If they can give verbal assurance I fail to understand why they can’t make it a legal obligation of the Government of India.”

“Those claiming it’s the Congress that’s instigating the farmers are blind not to see the lakhs of farmers trying to enter Delhi from across the country. It’s a fight for their lives and livelihoods and they don’t need any backing or provocation,” the Chief Minister added.