The Assam government has ordered closure orders of all markets in the state during the lockdown period.
Earlier on Thursday, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had said that apart from grocery stores, fish, meat, fruit stores and vegetables markets will remain open during the lockdown period.
As per the instruction of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna on Friday issued fresh directives on the availability of the essential commodities.
The government’s directives come following huge rush in vegetable markets in Guwahati, where social distance was hardly maintained.
Here are the directives issued by the government:
i. All markets will remain closed until further order except grocery and pharmacy.
ii. Grocery shops will also provide vegetables, fruits, eggs, gingers, garlic and water.
iii. Deputy Commissioners will organise distribution of vegetable etc. through mobile vans in all areas in alternate days.
iv. All meat, fish shops will remain closed till March 31. It will be reviewed on April 1, 2020.
v. Deputy Commissioners will fix appropriate time of opening of grocery shops as per local convenience.
vi. Citizens are directed to follow the advisories for social distances circulated earlier. Violation of the same will attract penal provisions under section 188 Indian Penal Code.
vii. Contact numbers of State Control Room, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (in case of any kind of emergency) : 1070, 1079, 94010-44617 and 0361-2237219.