On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh government refused to follow Allahabad High Court orders to impose lockdown in five cities – Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gorakhpur from tonight till April 26 in view of the surge in coronavirus cases.
The state said it will not implement the order of the court because the pandemic had virtually incapacitated their medical infrastructure especially in cities like Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur and Gorakhpur and it has to protect both lives and livelihoods.
The court issued a series of orders, including the suspension and closure of all religious activities and establishments, and the closure of all shopping malls.
The court also ordered all educational institutions across the state to shut down as well.
All offices, whether government or private, were to be closed too, excluding financial institutions, businesses offering medical or health services, industrial and scientific establishments, and those providing essential services such as municipal functions and public transport.
All other public movements on the roads will be restricted with only those experiencing medical emergencies allowed to travel, the court said.
Uttar Pradesh is one of the worst affected states in this second Covid wave. The state reported over 30,000 new cases this morning, taking its active caseload to over 1.9 lakh.