KATHMANDU, AUGUST 7

All three district administration offices of Kathmandu valley have decided to allow only emergency services for 16 days — August 9 to August 24 — and suspend the rest to break the chain of COVID transmission, as people had been venturing out of their homes in droves of late. A joint meeting of Kathmandu Chief District Officer Janakraj Dahal, Lalitpur CDO Narayan Prasad Bhatta and Bhaktapur CDO Humkala Pandey held in the capital today took a decision to this effect.

According to a press statement issued by Kathmandu DAO, services suspended by local administrations of valley include distribution of citizenship certificates and passports, registration and renewal of arms, registration and renewal of associations and newspapers, renewal of private security companies and issuance of identity cards to minors. Other government offices in the valley may also take necessary decisions on their own regarding services they deliver.

However, services related to peace and security, filing of complaints, issuance of vehicle passes for essential works, legal proceedings and disaster management will continue smoothly. Service-seekers have been told to strictly follow health guidelines enforced by the government while approaching DAOs to obtain essential services. “Anyone failing to abide by the guidelines will be booked in accordance with the Infectious Disease Act,” warns the statement.

DAOs will also seal COVID hotspots after risk assessment.

Kathmandu CDO said the local administration was set to seal off Mahabouddha and Teku areas to check the spread of the respiratory contagion.

Three cases of COVID-19 were reported in Mahabouddha yesterday, while Teku, where Sukraraj Infectious and Tropical Disease Hospital designated by the government as the primary hospital for treatment of coronavirus patients is located, is also considered to be at a risk of the highly contagious virus.

DAOs also decided to upgrade quarantine facilities to isolation centres and carry out regular monitoring to ascertain whether or not they met the prescribed standards.

DAOs will curb mobility of people through entry points to the valley, prohibit any assembly, workshop or symposium inside the valley and act against those who don’t wear face mask at public places.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 8, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.