Rupandehi, August 13 The local administration has ordered a lockdown within Butwal Sub-metorpolitan City effective from today to stem the community spread of COVID-19. A meeting of the sub-metropolis today decided to implement the stay-at-home order in the sub-metropolis from 11:45pm today till August 21. Chief Administrative Officer at Butwal sub-metropolis Chakrapani Sharma said the decision to implement the lockdown in the sub-metropolis was taken in today’s meeting. Though the lockdown has been ordered, essential services will resume in the sub-metropolis at designated times. Grocery shops will remain open from 07:00am to 11:00am and dairy and confectionery related services and supplies will remain open from 07:00am to 11:00am and 05:00pm to 07:00pm, informed Sharma. Vehicles supplying essential services will ply during the lockdown. The sub-metropolis witnessed alarming spike in virus cases lately. A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 14, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.