Citizens responded positively to the appeal made by Chief Minister Hemant Soren not to take the lockdown period as a "holiday" and stay indoors, with markets remaining shut and no large gathering of people seen anywhere in the capital and elsewhere in Jharkhand on the second day of the order over coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday.
Only handful of vehicles ferrying essential items were seen in Ranchi and in other districts.
Violation of the lockdown order was rampant on the first day on Monday when people were seen assembling in large numbers in the markets abd vehicles plying freely in Ranchi and other parts of the state.
Soren had expressed concern over people coming out of their homes violating the lockdown order, and urged them to remain indoors,saying "It is not a holiday."
Besides making an appeal to the citizens to abide by the lockdown order, he had asked deputy commissioners of all the districts to tell the people not to move outside unnecessarily.
The situation improved on Tuesday with the citizens staying at home except for those engaged in essential services.
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The state will witness shutdown till March 31 midnight.
Meanwhile, Soren has asked officials to identify poor as well as labourers and make foodgrains available at their houses in the wake of the lockdown of the state along with prohibitory orders under CrPC 144 to prevent spread of coronavirus pandemic.
The chief minister's instructions came during his video conferencing with the deputy commissioners of all the districts on Monday.
Soren also on Monday wrote to Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, requesting him to issue a direction to deposit unemployment allowance in the accounts of labourers as per the MGNREGA rules.
"The state government is concerned for the daily labourers in the rural areas in the wake of the lockdown of the state enforced between March 22 and March 31 midnight to prevent the spread of the pandemic...funds underlined for unemployment allowance under MGNREGA rules be made available in the accounts of the labourers," an official release said quoting the letter of the chief minister.
"Your decision will help the poor families in the rural areas," Soren added.
Separately, representatives of Ranchi "Mahavir Mandal" met the chief minister and informed him that they have decided to postpone Ram Navami festivities scheduled next month. Soren welcomed the decision.
A Giridih report said, Chaiti puja committee has postponed its festivities to prevent congregation due to the pandemic.
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