Kathmandu May 15.

The import of vegetables and fruits from beyond Sindhupalchowk district has been banned in view of increasing risks of COVID-19. A meeting of the COVID-19 Disaster Management Centre prohibited the transport of vegetables and fruits from outside district citing security threats stemming from COVID-19 outbreak. Chief District Officer Umesh Kumar Dhakal said that along with the move security vigilance has been stepped up along the entry points of the district. Dhakal shared that the decision was taken to promote sale of local vegetables and fruits in the market place and call on local levels to take up the coordinating roles. The vegetables and fruits produced at the local level would be sufficient for the district consumers, he added. Melamchi municipality has further restricted the people’s mobility in the district. A person coming here from Lumbini today has been kept in quarantine. Police Inspector at Area Police Office, Melamchi, Phal Bahadur Tamang said police took him and a motorcyclist heading towards Panchpokhari Thangpal rural municipality. The motorcyclist was told to stay at home quarantine. Deputy-mayor of Melamchi municipality, Bhagawati Nepal, said the movement of people using motorcycle would be stopped. Now there are eight people in Melamchi regional quarantine. Similarly, the district administration has further tightened the lockdown enforcement effective from Thursday