1300 lockdown defaulters penalised in Dimapur, 115 in Kohima

Our Reporter / Correspondent
Dimapur/ Kohima, May 17 (EMN): As many as 1300 vehicles have been penalised in Dimapur from May 6 till date for violation of odd-even traffic rule, PRO of Dimapur police informed Eastern Mirror.

The commissioner of Police, Dimapur had imposed odd-even system for vehicles in the permissible hours during the lockdown period.

In Kohima, about 115 defaulters have been penalised till Monday afternoon since the state-wide total lockdown came into force on May 14.

Kevithuto Sophie, superintendent of police (SP), Kohima, told Eastern Mirror on Monday that the defaulters were penalised under different categories of violations.

Expressing concern over some citizens flouting Covid-19 norms, the police officer reminded the public not to be “casual” but to be more “careful” and comply with the SOP as Covid positive cases keep increasing.

Meanwhile, he acknowledged the colonies in the state capital for assisting the law enforcing agencies in implementing the lockdown guidelines in their respective wards.

Shops selling essential commodities, grocery stores etc. within the municipal jurisdiction were allowed to open from 6 am to 12 noon on alternate days, as permitted by the DTF and no panic buying was witnessed on Monday.

Thejao Sekhose, acting president of Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP) told this newspaper that movement of people and vehicles increased in many colonies on Monday following rollout of Covid-19 vaccination for 18 to 44 years.

‘We learnt that there was too much traffic because of the vaccination drive,’ he said. However, he reasoned that as per the government order, those on medical needs are supposed to be exempted from the purview of the lockdown.

He informed that wholesale market has been opened under strict monitoring by Kohima Municipal Council and acknowledged the district administrative and police for “trying their best” to implement the lockdown measures.

However, he lamented that shops situated on roadsides that fall under the jurisdiction of other municipal wards were seen open. He added that the colonies would be not to allow business activities on the main road.

He expressed concern over people coming out just for the sake of marketing. “Lockdown means nobody should come out,” he added.