Coronavirus outbreak: Centre requests states to enforce lockdown strictly to prevent spread, take legal action against violators

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday asked state governments to strictly enforce the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus and directed legal action against violators.

"States have been asked to carefully implement the lockdown in the regions where it has been reported. Lawful move will be made against violators," a tweet by Principal Director General of PIB, KS Dhatwalia read.This comes only an hour after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the general population to pay attention to the lockdown and asked the state government to guarantee that rules and laws are followed. 

"Numerous individuals are as yet not paying attention to the lockdown. It would be ideal if you spare yourself by doing this, spare your family, adhere to the directions genuinely. I demand the state governments to guarantee the standards and laws are followed," Modi's tweet, generally interpreted from Hindi, read.

The Centre and state governments have decided to



completely shut down 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported.

It has also been decided to suspend the interstate bus services till 31 March, government officials said on Sunday.

The districts where lockdown was announced are from states that include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The development comes in the view that there is an urgent need to extend restrictions, including the movement of non-essential passenger transport, in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly infection which has already infected nearly 400 people in the country.

Millions of people across the country stayed indoors, streets wore a deserted look and a minimal number of vehicles were on the road on Sunday in an unprecedented shutdown on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for a 'Janata curfew' to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over 13,000 lives worldwide.