Smart mini-lockdown enforced in parts of District West

Authorities have imposed a smart mini-lockdown in two sub-divisions of District West as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the city. On recommendations of the district health officer of District West, the West deputy commissioner imposed a smart mini-lockdown on streets and localities of specified areas in the Mominabad and Orangi Town sub-divisions for a period of two weeks from December 29, 2020, to January 11, 2021, under the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act, 2014, read a notification.

The areas of the Orangi Town sub-division where the smart mini-lockdown has been enforced include Gabol Colony, DataNagar and Mujahidabad. In the Mominabad sub-division, the smart mini-lockdown has been imposed in Hanifabad Colony, Madina Colony and Bilal Colony.

Following standard operating procedures shall be enforced in the aforementioned areas: Anyone entering or exiting the lockdown areas shall wear a mask, movement of people residing in the lockdown areas shall be strictly restricted and only grocery shops, convenience stores and pharmacies shall be allowed to remain open during specific timings as specified in the home department’s order.

All other business activities shall strictly remain closed without any exceptions. Moreover, all kind of industrial units falling in the areas shall remain closed and no home delivery or takeaway of any sort will be allowed from restaurants. Only one person from each household shall be allowed to go outside for buying food items and medicines by displaying their original CNIC to law enforcement agencies.

Only one attendant, where extremely necessary, shall be allowed with a person in need of medical care and no private or family get-together will be allowed in homes. Residents coming out of their houses would have a valid reason to do so and pillion riding would be strictly banned in these areas.

All the public transport, including buses, taxis, rickshaws and ride-hailing services, would also be banned to ply on the roads in these areas. The government has however pledged that it would make every effort to provide mobile dispensaries and mobile utility stores in these areas.