Kathmandu, June 2
Chief district officers of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur have decided to extend the ongoing lockdown, officially the prohibitory order, imposed in the valley by 11 days, until June 14.
The lockdown, however, will be a bit flexible as the officials have withdrawn from their previous decision of closing grocery shops also. Now, from Friday, the groceries will open until 9 every morning, informs Bhaktapur Chief District Officer Prem Prasad Bhattarai.
Initially imposed for one week since April 29, it was extended until May 12 and then until May 27 earlier. On May 25, the authorities even decided to shut grocery shops and imposed other additional restrictions to come into effect from May 28 to June 3.
Further, a meeting of the three chief district officers of the Kathmandu valley on Wednesday decided to extend the prohibitory order by 11 more days but lifting the bar imposed on the groceries.
The decision to shut the shops was widely criticised claiming it curtailed people’s right to food. In response, the government had said it would arrange home deliveries. But, apparently, the announcement did not get effectively implemented.
Meanwhile, the officials have also decided to let trucks carrying construction materials ply during the nighttime.
