Kerala Govt imposes Section 144 to curb COVID spread

Kochi, October 2: In a bid to stem the spread of the deadly contagious disease, the Kerala government has imposed Section 144 across the state citing the rising number of coronavirus cases in Kerala. It will come into effect from 9 am on October 3 and will remain in effect till October 31.

 

The order which was released by Kerala Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta. While releasing the order he said," gatherings pose an impending danger of a super spread of the infection and the order shall come into force from 9 am on October 3 and will remain in effect till October 31." It would also nullify the directive in the latest unlock guidelines allowing gatherings of up to 100 persons outside containment zones.

"In light of the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state, public congregations and gatherings pose an impending danger of a super spread of the infection. Hence, an assembly or gathering of more than five people at a time cannot be permitted. For the enforcement of social distancing, the provisions of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973 shall be effected...," the order stated.

"Strict restrictions shall be imposed in containment zones and in specific areas where the spread of the disease is apprehended. Existing relaxations for categories like weddings, funerals, etc shall be continued and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) concerned shall issue proceedings, considering the ground situation in their districts," it further read.

Kerala’s COVID-19 tally crossed the grim milestone of two lakh on Thursday as the state reported 8,135 fresh cases, while the death toll climbed to 771. At present, 72,339 people are undergoing treatment for the coronavirus infection and over 2.43 lakh people are under observation, including 30,258 in isolation wards of various hospitals in the state, officials said.