This story is from August 5, 2020

Stop traffic from Surat to Ahmedabad, test those entering for Covid: Gujarat high court

In a bid to improve compliance for Covid-19 control, the Gujarat high court on Tuesday directed the state government to increase nomask penalty to a uniform Rs 1,000 across urban and rural Gujarat. The HC asked the state to put all its might and focus in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stop traffic from Surat to Ahmedabad, test those entering for Covid: Gujarat high court
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AHMEDABAD: In a bid to improve compliance for Covid-19 control, the Gujarat high court on Tuesday directed the state government to increase nomask penalty to a uniform Rs 1,000 across urban and rural Gujarat. The HC asked the state to put all its might and focus in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
Taking cognizance of surge of virus transmission in Surat, the HC said that the traffic from Surat to Ahmedabad should be stopped and inflow of people should be regulated with rapid antigen test on those wishing to enter Ahmedabad.

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On Tuesday, the state recorded 1,020 new cases, taking the total to 65,704. Highest 245 cases were reported from Surat, 153 from Ahmedabad, 105 from Vadodara and 88 from Rajkot. The state recorded 25 deaths including 11 from Surat, four from Junagadh, three each from Ahmedabad and Jamnagar, two from Vadodara and one each from Bhavnagar and Rajkot.
The bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice J B Pardiwala insisted on public awareness, precautions and deterrence in order to curb the spread of the virus. The court urged the government to take tough measures without fearing public backlash. “The state government should not think taking stern action will lead to citizens hating or disliking the authorities. What is important today is deterrence,” the court said.

The HC acknowledged that virus transmission has come down in Ahmedabad while it has spiked in Surat. It is high time to protect the people of Ahmedabad and for this traffic inflow into Ahmedabad from Surat should be stopped till situation normalizes in the diamond city.
‘Stop traffic from Surat’
The HC acknowledged that virus transmission has come down in Ahmedabad while it has spiked in Surat. It is high time to protect the people of Ahmedabad and for this traffic inflow into Ahmedabad from Surat should be stopped till situation normalizes in the diamond city. “We are saying so because, as on date, there is a decline of Covid-19 cases in Ahmedabad while Surat and its outskirts has recorded a steep rise,” the high court said.
The HC directed rapid antigen test for all those “suspected individuals” who want to enter Ahmedabad district and entry should be allowed only if the person if tested Covid-19 negative. The government should make everybody, who wants to come to Ahmedabad, aware of this. “The pandemic has made its way now in the rural areas and this is not a good sign. Therefore, we direct the state government to take steps to stop the inflow of the people from Surat who intend to visit the city of Ahmedabad and for this the public transport as well as private transport should be stopped,” the court order reads.
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