COVID lockdown
Anti-COVID lockdown: Bengal govt postpones class 10, 12 exams
Kolkata/IBNS: The West Bengal government on Saturday postponed class 10 and 12 examinations due to be held next month over the strict restrictions imposed in the state to stem Covid-19 spread.
State Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay made the announcement during a press conference and said fresh dates will be announced later.
The decision has been taken consulting the education department and state Education Minister Bratya Basu, said the Chief Secretary.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Saturday announced an almost lockdown in the state for the next 15 days to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The fresh restrictions will be imposed from 6 am on May 16 to 6 pm on 30th of the same month, announced West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
During this period, all shops, barring the ones providing essential goods, markets will remain open between 7-10 in the morning while sweetmeat shops will remain open between 10 am to 5 pm.
All malls, restaurants, bars, shopping malls, cinema halls, gyms, spas will remain closed during this period.
The government and private offices, except the ones providing essential services, have been ordered to be closed.
All educational institutions will remain shut. All examinations, which were due to be held in June, have been postponed.
Banks will be allowed to operate between 10 am and 2 pm.
The transport facilities including intra-state local train and bus, metro, ferry services will remain suspended except for movement of "emergecy service personnel".
Private vehicles, cabs, auto rickshaws will not be allowed to operate except to and fro hospitals, noursinghomes, diagnostic centres, clinics, airports, terminal points, media houses.
All religious, cultural and political gatherings have been banned.
"We have noticed public health is getting affected if the gatherings increase," said the Chief Secretary in the press briefing from state headquarters Nabanna.
All industries and manufacturing units will remain closed except those relating to medical supplies, Covid protective supplies, health and hygiene care products, oxygen cylinders, continuous process industries and production and package of essential commodities and beverages.
The online delivery systems will be allowed to function.
In all spheres, essential services have been exempted from the lockdown for the next 15 days.
Marriage functions and funeral rituals are allowed with maximum 50 and 20 people respectively.
All kinds of outdoor movements and activities, excepting for essential services, will not be allowed between 9 pm and 5 am.
West Bengal, which is also witnessing a spike in Covid-19 cases, on Friday reported 20,846 new cases.
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