The District West deputy commissioner on Wednesday imposed a smart lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in two areas of a union council in the Manghopir area of the city.
The mini-lockdown could come into effect today (October 1) and would remain imposed till 7pm on October 15. This is the first such order for any part of the city after the lockdown orders of the Sindh government were lifted.
The mini lockdown has been imposed on the recommendation of the District West’s district health officer in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the areas in question. The areas targeted in the lockdown are Saima Villas and Samama City in UC-8 of the Manghopir sub-division of District West of the city in Gadap Town, which have an approximate population of 4,000 people. The lockdown order has been issued under the Section 3(3) of the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act 2014.
The Manghopir assistant commissioner has been directed by the West deputy commissioner to devise a proper lockdown security plan for the areas in question under his jurisdiction. The assistant commissioner will perform the task in collaboration with the DSP and SHO concerned of the area.
According to the order, various standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be enforced during the mini lockdown. Anyone entering or exiting the lockdown areas shall wear a mask and the movement of people residing in the lockdown areas shall be strictly restricted.
Only grocery shops, convenience stores and pharmacies shall be allowed to remain open in these areas during specific timings and all other business activities shall remain closed, including all kinds of industrial units falling in the area.
No home delivery of any sort will be allowed eateries and only one person of a family shall be allowed to go outside to buy food items and medicines by showing their original CNIC to law enforcement agencies.
Only one attendant shall be allowed to go out with a person in need of medical care and no private get-togethers will be allowed in private homes. Residents coming out of their houses should have a valid reason to do so and pillion riding shall be strictly banned.
All the public transport and vehicles of ride-hailing services will also be not allowed to ply the roads in these areas. Meanwhile, the government has pledged that it will make every effort to provide mobile dispensaries and mobile utility stores in the affected areas.
SOPs to be enforced
In the meantime, Karachi Commissioner Sohail Rajput has ordered the closure of marriage halls and restaurants in the city that are found violating the SOPs announced by the Sindh government to deal with the COVID-19 emergency.
The commissioner made the decision to this effect while chairing a meeting at the Commissioner Office on Wednesday.
He asked the deputy commissioners of the city to personally visit restaurants and marriage halls situated in their jurisdictions to verify if they were duly observing the SOPs. The closure of marriage halls and restaurants in case of a violation of the SOPs would be for at least three days.
The commissioner said there had been an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases in Karachi during the last one week. He added that due observance of the SOPs had become compulsory to prevent further spread of the pandemic in the province.
The meeting decided that implementation of the SOPs would also be ensured in the public parks of the city and no person would be allowed entry inside the park without wearing masks. It was also decided that coronavirus testing would be increased in schools and educational institutions violating the SOPs would be shut by the city administration.
Rajput also asked officials of the provincial industries department to visit the industrial units in the city to personally check the observance of the SOPs. The deputy commissioners will submit the compliance report of their action against institutions violating the SOPs to the commissioner.
The meeting was attended by DIG Arif Hanif, Additional Commissioner-1 Asad Ali Khan, all the deputy commissioners, Director Health Karachi Dr Naeem Akhtar, director schools, director colleges and officials of the industries department. After the meeting, the District South deputy commissioner sealed three restaurants in his jurisdiction upon violation of the SOPs.