Police spokesperson on resumption of daily activities after curfew lift

Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana says entering or leaving isolated areas will be prohibited as the health authorities have deemed them to be high-risk areas.

His remarks came during a special statement delivered today to explain in details how the public should resume daily activities after quarantine curfew is relaxed tomorrow (09).

Quarantine curfew imposed in the Western Province is expected to be lifted at 5.00 am tomorrow, however, 25 police areas, the Kurunegala Municipal Council area and a Grama Niladhari Division in Panadura will remain isolated.

Accordingly, people living in these areas will not be allowed to leave borders and they are not allowed to report to their workplaces until the isolation status is lifted. Outsiders are meanwhile banned from entering the isolated areas.

However, essential workers and employees of factories under the Board of Investment (BOI) and Export Development Board (EDB) will be allowed to use their curfew passes to move in and out of the isolated areas, subject to quarantine regulations.

The police spokesperson further noted that vehicles will not be permitted to make stops or park in isolated areas. Thereby, boarding and alighting passengers in isolated areas will be banned.

Meanwhile, pregnant women and patients under medication are permitted to visit the nearest hospital without a curfew pass, in the event of an emergency.

A decision has been taken to allow delivery services to operate in isolated areas in order to maintain essential services. Food and medicines can be delivered, however, shops are not allowed to remain open.

In the meantime, 05 apartment complexes in Colombo North and Colombo Central areas – namely Methsanda Sevana in Mattakkuliya, Mihijaya Sevana, Ranmuthu Sevana in Modara, Muwadora Uyana in Grandpass, Sirisara Uyana in Dematagoda and NHS flats in the Maligawatta – will also remain isolated despite the curfew lift.

Movement of the residents have been restricted, however, shops are allowed to make deliveries to these apartment complexes.

The police spokesperson stressed that every person under self-isolation is mandated to stay at home, adding that legal action can be sought against under the quarantine law for violating the order.

All entry and exit points of the expressways in the Western Province will meanwhile re-open for traffic as per usual from tomorrow. Police officers have been deployed to entry and exit points for surveillance, DIG Rohana said further.

He requested the members of the public to restrict their travels to essential matters even if they are living in areas that are not under an isolation status.

Speaking of resuming operations at government and private institutions after the curfew is lifted, the police spokesperson said regulations specified in the Extraordinary Gazette dated 15th of October should be followed by these entities.

Only those who maintain social distancing should be allowed inside an office or a shop, he added. These entities must provide facilities for washing hands while making sure if the visitors are wearing their face masks properly, the temperature is checked and a list of people who enter the premises is maintained.

In addition to these protocols, the specific guidelines issued for 55 institutions to be followed when the curfew is lifted should be adhered to, DIG Rohana reminded. He requested the heads of public and private entities to ensure strict compliance with relevant health guidelines.

Every citizen must wear a face mask wherever they are at or whether they are in isolation and they must ensure that social distancing is maintained. Violating these regulations can result in getting arrested, he noted.

Speaking further, he urged people to refrain from carrying out parties, events and public gatherings.

Anyone who enters or leaves an isolated area will be initially placed under quarantine and legal action will be later instituted under criminal law, he continued.

The police spokesperson pointed out that transmitting a disease intentionally is an offence under criminal law.

He added that there have been reports about people providing false information in a document and forging fake passes.

Entering inaccurate particulars into a document is punishable by imprisonment for 7 years. Anyone who enters someone else’s name and NIC number into a document may receive a prison sentence not exceeding 3 years, DIG Rohana explained.