Curfew in high-risk zones to continue indefinitely

• In all other districts, curfew was lifted at 6:00  a.m. yesterday and re-imposed at 2:00  p.m. to be relaxed again at 6:00 a.m. on April 9 and re-imposed at 4:00 p.m. the same day

By Sandun A. Jayasekera 

Curfew currently effective in the high-risk zones of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy and Jaffna Districts will remain until further notice, a statement issued yesterday by the President’s office said. 

“In all other districts, curfew was lifted at 6:00  a.m. yesterday and re-imposed at 2:00  p.m. to be relaxed again at 6:00 a.m. on April 9 and re-imposed at 4:00 p.m. the same day,” it said. 
This week has already been declared as a period of ‘work from home’ for both the public and private sectors. 

“Travelling to and from all districts has been completely prohibited except for the purpose of providing essential services. Those who misuse regulations introduced with the prime objective of ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of essential services will severely be dealt with according to the law. The government has put in place a mechanism to continuously supply essential food and other goods enabling the public to purchase them while at home during curfew hours. Those who are engaged in paddy farming and cultivation of small tea holdings and export crops in any district are permitted to carry out their activities. Since the sole purpose of these measures is to ensure the well-being of the people, the government requests the public to strictly adhere to the guidelines,” the statement said.   

The villages which have been declared isolated areas in the Colombo, Kalutara and Kandy Districts will remain in the same category and none will be allowed to enter or exit these areas until further notice. 

• This week has already been declared as a period of ‘work from home’ for public and private sectors