LG against ending weekend curfew

New Delhi, Jan 21 (Agency) Lt Governor Anil Baijal has rejected the Delhi government’s proposal to end the weekend curfew on account of Covid-19 while giving a go ahead to allow private offices to work with 50 per cent capacity, official sources said. An official at the Delhi Disaster Management Committee headed by Baijal told UNI that Covid-19 cases are still coming in large numbers and restrictions need to be in place until the trajectory falls significantly. Baijal also rejected a suggestion to open non-essential shops on the basis of ‘odd-even’ idea.

The Delhi government had sent the proposals to the LG office on Friday. The Kejriwal government asked Baijal to end the weekend curfew, allow shops in markets to open regularly and allow private offices to work with 50 per cent of staff. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a digital address on Friday that the peak of Covid-19 cases in the national capital was over and the current situation demands the reopening of businesses that have been affected for over three weeks. “Livelihood has been affected due to restrictions imposed. Since the cases and positivity rate are falling, we need to uplift the curbs and allow businesses to run as usual,” he said. On Thursday, the capital reported 12,306 new cases and a positivity rate of 21.48 per cent. Forty-three people have died due to the viral illness.