COVID19 Lockdown: Unplanned closing of shops, lockdown rumours creating confusion in Assam

The state government’s coordinated steps to tackle any eventuality are facing challenges from over-zealous methods adopted by a section, with fake news on social media adding to the confusion.

Whatsapp messages of the declaration of a lockdown in the state since morning led the Chief Minister’s Office finally has to take to social media to announce that there is no lockdown in the state.

State Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna further confirmed that there is no lockdown in the state as of now and the government is continuously evaluating the situation.

State Health and Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, also confirming that there is no lockdown, said further measures for social distancing will be announced later today.

The minister is scheduled to address a press conference at 1700 hours here today, during which important announcements regarding additional precautionary measures are likely to be announced.

Meanwhile, a call by Assam Chamber of Commerce to traders to keep their shops and commercial establishments closed for the second day today, after extending support to the ‘Janta Curfew’ yesterday, as a measure to fight COVID-19 spread has created problems for the general people.

Few shops opened shutters in the morning, and many of these were quick to close down when Whatsapp got flooded with rumours of an immediate lockdown.

Long queues were reported in the few stores that remained open, including at Guwahati, with stocks of essentials also running short or out in these stores.

State Professionals’ Congress president and Congress spokesperson Gauravv Somani, criticising the call for an unplanned extension, said, “Under such a confused and grim situation where COVID-19 is hovering around people and daily routine is disturbed, such illegal Trade Bandhs without government permissions and advisory shall further create more panic like situation amongst the people. At present, there are signs of a shortage of essential items and food grains in the state. People are returning empty-handed from grocery stores and the majority of shops are running out of stock of essentials items.”

A Facebook post circulating since yesterday for a ‘voluntary shutdown’ tomorrow (March 24) has also created confusion in the state as no organisation has claimed responsibility for making such an appeal.

Though no positive case of COVID-19 has been reported in the state so far, the state government has been adopting heightened precautionary measures to ensure no outbreak of the pandemic.