Islandwide curfew over the coming weekend

People were flocking into retail outlets to purchase essentials as well as non-essentials when the curfew was relaxed

By Sandun A. Jayasekera 

People in the 21 districts where curfew had been lifted for 15 hours, were seen in brisk buying of essential food commodities as well as non essential goods like clothes and shoes flocking to retail outlets, shops and also to eateries yesterday.   

 The curfew remained unchanged round the clock in the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam and had been relaxed in 21 other districts from 5.00 am to 8.00 pm while taverns and liquor shops at Super Markets across the country were kept closed.   

Curfew in the Western Province and in the District of Puttalam will be in force until 5.00 am on Monday, April 27th.   
The curfew in all other 21districts will be effective from 8.00pm to 5.00am till Friday, April 24th.   
In these areas, curfew will be re-imposed at 8.00pm on Friday, the 24th April and continue until 5.00am on Monday, April 27th. 

 
In these districts, curfew will continue to be in force during the weekend, April 25th and 26th.   
Travelling to and from the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam is completely prohibited for all.   
Our Ella, correspondent, Prasad Rukmal said traders sold vegetables, fruits and other food commodities on the pavement and drains to consumers ignoring safety advice.   

Conditions and guidelines announced earlier on the continuation of essential services and agricultural activities will remain unchanged, the Presidential Media Division (PMD) further said.   

Several other Daily Mirror provincial correspondents said bus drivers and private bus operators in particular, ran buses with the full load of commuters and added that many of them had failed to keep a safe distance from each other, wear a face mask or wash hands.   

Meanwhile, the Police has arrested 558 individuals for violating the curfew regulations and detained 132 vehicles during the 24-hour period that ended at 6.00 am yesterday. Police Spokesman, SSP Jaliya Senaratne said. By yesterday the Police has arrested 35,221 men and women and 9,015 vehicles for the same offence, since March 20th., he added.   

Bus operators ran buses with the  full load of commuters and many of them had failed to keep a  safe distance from each other, wear a face mask or wash hands