Authority imposes night curfew in Delhi ahead of New Year

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority Thursday announced a curfew in the city on New Year’s Eve, restricting more than five people to assemble at a public place.

According to an order, no celebratory events, congregations and gatherings at public places are permitted from 11 pm of December 31 to 6 am of January 1, 2021. However, the order exempts licensed premises.

The restrictions come after 20 fresh cases of new coronavirus variants were found among the returnees from the UK to India. The government authorities are imposing stringent coronavirus curbs amid the COVID-19 new strain scare. 

A detailed assessment of the situation in Delhi has been made, the DDMA order said. "Considering the threat posed by the mutant UK strain of Covid-19 virus and after overseeing the local incidents of Covid-19 pandemic in GNCT, Delhi, it is apprehended that gatherings, congregations and public celebrations of New Year pose a considerable threat of the spread of the virus," it said.

It "may cause a setback to the appreciable gains" made in the suppression of chain of transmission of Covid-19 cases in Delhi, the order added. There will no restrictions on the interstate and intrastate movement of persons and goods during the curfew period.

"All district magistrates of Delhi and their counterpart district deputy commissioners of police and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict compliance of this order and shall adequately inform and sensitize the field functionaries about these instructions for strict compliance in letter and spirit," the DDMA letter said.

Apart from Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan have also imposed night curfew to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

India reported 21,821 new Covid-19 cases, 26,139 recoveries, and 299 deaths in last 24 hours, as per health ministry. Total cases now stand at 1,02,66,674. Active cases have reached 2,57,656. Total recoveries in India are 98,60,280. Meanwhile, the death toll has jumped to 1,48,738.