The Telangana government on May 7 issued orders restricting the number of people at weddings and funerals. A maximum of 100 people will be allowed to attend marriage-related gatherings. In case of funerals or ceremonies related to final rites, a maximum of 20 persons are allowed to garther. All such gatherings will have to ensure physical distancing, use of masks and other COVID-19 protocol. Any other social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, religious or cultural gatherings are henceforth prohibited.
The restrictions have been imposed in view of rise in COVID-19 cases in the state, and the observations of the Telangana High Court, said the government order issued by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar. Earlier on May 5, the Telangana High Court had directed the state government to review the COVID-19 situation, and consider imposing additional measures like implementing weekend lockdown and extending the present curfew hours.
Hearing a batch of PILs on COVID-19 issues in the state, a Bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy had directed the state government to review the situation before May 8. Following the High Court’s directions, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar had told the media that the pandemic situation in Telangana was under control, and that the state was doing much better compared to other states. “There are ample beds, no shortage of medicines nor consumables in the state,” he claimed, while adding that the government would examine the court’s directions and take appropriate decisions on imposing a weekend lockdown.
On May 6, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao asserted that a lockdown will not be imposed in the state, as it would severely affect public life and the economy. Instead of a lockdown, other preventive measures will be taken, like setting up micro level containment zones in places with a high number of cases, said an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office.
At present, night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am is in force in Telangana until 5 am on May 15.
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