Authorities stop construction works in Assam for defying lockdown

Guwahati, March 26 (IANS) The police and other authorities in Assam on Thursday stopped various construction works including that of a building on the IIT-Guwahati campus for defying the lockdown and protective measures put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the police said.

A police officer in Guwahati said that acting on the complaint of people and other authorities, the police stopped various private and government construction works, including that of a building within the IIT-Guwahati’s campus as they defied the lockdown guidelines and ignored the protective measures for the workers against coronavirus.

“In some construction sites, a large number of workers are staying in congested sheds. The workers are even unaware about the protective measures against the novel coronavirus,” a police officer told IANS over phone on condition of anonymity.

Despite repeated attempts, the IIT-Guwahati officials did not answer calls to clarify on the matter. IIT-Guwahati, set up in 1994, is the lone such engineering institute in the entire northeastern region.

In view of the lockdown, business establishments except shops and markets dealing with groceries, vegetables, medicine, milk, cooking gas, and petrol pumps, offices and other commercial centres were mostly closed across Assam on Thursday.

In several districts, people defied the lockdown and ventured out of their homes, forcing the security personnel to use force.

–IANS

sc/arm