LAHORE – Caretaker Punjab government has made some changes to restrictions imposed following the announcement of smart lockdown on eight districts of the province to curb smog.
The Primary Healthcare Department in Punjab has issued an amendment notification under which call centres and international IT centres have been allowed to continue their working.
Furthermore, markets have been allowed to open on Thursday and Friday in the eight districts while shopping malls and markets to remain closed on Saturday and Sunday.
The notification said that restaurants, cinemas and gyms will remain open as usual today (Thursday).
The amendments to the lockdown restrictions will be applicable in Lahore, Nankana, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Gujranwala, Narowal, Hafizabad and Sialkot.
A day earlier, the Punjab government imposed a smart lockdown in the seven most polluted districts from November 9 to November 12.
Movement will be restricted in Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, and Narowal districts having the highest Air Quality Index (AQI) and as such potential hotspots for Conjunctivitis due to smog.
“The spread of Conjunctivitis/Pink Eye due to bacterial or viral infection, smoke, dust or chemical exposure is increasing day by day, which poses a serious and imminent threat to public health”, reads a notification issued by the Punjab Health Department.
“All markets, shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, gymnasiums, schools (public and private), and offices (public and private) shall remain closed in these areas. There shall be limited movement of people to and from these areas by public and private transport”, the previous notification had said.
However, pharmacies/medical stores, medical facilities and vaccination centres, petrol pumps, oil depots, tandoors, bakeries, grocery/karyana stores, milk/dairy shops, sweet shops, vegetable/fruit shops, chicken/meat shops, E-commerce / postal/courier services and utility services (electricity, natural gas, internet, cellular networks/telecom will continue to operate as per normal routine.
Large departmental stores will only keep their grocery/ pharmacy sections open while all other sections will remain closed.
Officials of government departments on duty will be exempted if duly notified by respective departments.
