Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a "Janata curfew" on Sunday, saying all citizens must stay home from 7 am to 9 pm to try and check the spread of the deadly virus. The Prime Minister also cautioned citizens against hoarding and panic-buying, assuring that the supply of essentials like milk, medicines and food would be maintained.
"Under this Janata (public) curfew, no person should leave their home or gather in their society. Only those related to essential services need to go out," said the Prime Minister, adding that all citizens must abide by this.
"On that day, at 5 pm, we will stand at our balconies, windows or doors for 5 minute, we will show our gratitude to those maintaining essential services by ringing bells, sounding sirens, clapping or clanging utensils," he said.
The Prime Minister suggested the one-day exercise would help inculcate a new discipline for social distancing for the next few weeks.
He urged people to stay home and leave only if necessary in the next few weeks.
On Thursday, India reported its fourth coronavirus death from Punjab. A 70-year-old man who returned from Germany via Italy a fortnight ago and died in hospital after severe chest pain, has been found to be positive for novel coronavirus, senior officials said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the government on Thursday announced that no international flights will be allowed to land in India from March 22 for a week amid escalating measures to fight coronavirus.
The government has also advised citizens above 65 to stay at home unless they are public representatives or doctors or government employees. It has also said children below 10 should stay at home.
The total number of coronavirus cases rose to 173 in India on Thursday.
The novel coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation with over 8,000 people deaths globally and more than two lakh have been infected.
