NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, APRIL 16
After Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has decided to impose a week-long curfew in five densely populated areas of Surat from Thursday midnight, an official said.
These areas fall under the jurisdiction of Salabatpura, Mahidharpura, Lalgate, Athwalines and Kamrunagar police chowky of Limbayat police stations, Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) secretary Ashwani Kumar said.
સુરત મહાનગરપાલિકાના માન. કમિશ્નર સાહેબ તરફથી રોજ સાંજે ૦૫.૩૦ કલાકે Facebook દ્વારા લાઇવ “કોરોના વાયરસ” અન્વયે સુરત મહાનગરપાલિકા વિસ્તારની પરિસ્થિતિ / કામગીરી અંગે માહિતી આપવામાં આવશે, જે વિદિત થવા વિનંતી. pic.twitter.com/N7XdTAaOPG
— My Surat (@MySuratMySMC) April 16, 2020
The announcement came after 35 people tested positive for coronavirus in Surat in the last 12 hours. The district has to date reported 86 COVID-19 cases.
The curfew will remain in force till 6 am on April 22, and a three-hour relaxation will be given from 1 pm to 4 pm on these days only for women to buy essential items, Kumar said.
Sample Collection Drive for clusters is going on at Surat City. pic.twitter.com/Cashek3xYu
— Commissioner SMC (@CommissionerSMC) April 12, 2020
The relaxation may be withdrawn if women do not follow social distancing norms and come out in large numbers, he said. Surat Police Commissioner R B Brahmbhatt said the curfew is necessary as many coronavirus cases are emerging from these specified areas.
The Rapid Action Force, the State Reserve Police and local police will be deployed in these areas for strict implementation of the curfew order, he added.
On Wednesday, curfew was imposed in the walled city of Ahmedabad and its Danilimda area till April 21 to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Migrant workers protest in Surat for better and non-veg food
Around 100 migrant workers gathered in an industrial area of Surat city in Gujarat on Thursday afternoon and protested over the issue of food being served to them during the lockdown, officials said.
The migrant workers and their family members, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, sat on a street in Pandesara area, complaining that the food being served to them is not as per their taste, a local police officer said.
After being alerted about the incident, a police team, led by DCP Vidhi Chaudhari, rushed to the spot to convince the workers to adhere to lockdown rules.
“It was a small issue about their food. The situation was brought under control,” Chaudhari said.
Talking to reporters, some of the migrants said that food being served to them by NGOs is not as per their taste, as they prefer spicy and non-veg food.
On Wednesday, hundreds of migrant workers had hit the streets in Pandol industrial area with a similar demand.
Thousands of migrants working in factories, diamond polishing units and textile units are stuck in Surat due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. They are being served food by the authorities with the help of NGOs.
Two days back, migrant workers had come out in large numbers in Varachha area demanding that they should be allowed to go to their native places.
Last week, migrant workers, mostly from Odisha, had engaged in stone-pelting and arson in Laskana area of the city with a similar demand.
