MHA guidelines: public places to remain closed
NEW DELHI, Apr 15: Industrial units in rural areas will be allowed to function from April 20 provided they follow social distancing norms while all kinds of public transport will be barred and public places closed till May 3, according to guidelines issued today to enforce the second phase of the lockdown.
Wearing masks/face covers in public places is now compulsory across the country. Besides, spitting in public has been made a punishable offence and a strict ban enforced on the sale of “liquor, ‘gutka’ tobacco etc” under the new Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines that come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3.
The Prime Minister also said necessary activities will be allowed from April 20 in identified areas of the country. A three-week lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 came into effect after his announcement on March 24.
Laying out the dos and don’ts for phase two of the pan India lockdown, the guidelines State that all work places should make adequate arrangements for temperature screening and must provide sanitisers at convenient places.
Services provided by self-employed electricians, IT repair personnel, plumbers, motor mechanics and carpenters will be allowed from April 20.
While inter-state, inter-district movement of people, metro, bus services will be prohibited till May 3, the Government has allowed industrial units located in rural areas to function from April 20 by observing strict social distancing norms.
Manufacturing, industrial units with access control in SEZs, export oriented units, industrial estates, industrial townships will also be allowed to function from that date.
Educational institutions, coaching centres, domestic, international air travel, train services will remain suspended, the ministry said.
Public places such as cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools and bars will be shut too till May 3.
All social, political, sports, religious functions, religious places, places of worship will also be closed till then, according to the guidelines.
However, highway ‘dhaba’ (eateries), truck repairing shops, call centres for Government activities will remain open from April 20.
Shops selling agriculture machinery and those dealing with spare parts, supply chains and repairs as well as ‘custom hiring centres’ related to farm machinery will also be open from that day.
Activities permitted five days from now include those related to agricultural and the horticultural sectors, farmers and farm workers in the field as well as procurement of agri products.
Units manufacturing drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical infrastructure, including manufacture of ambulances, will be open from April 20.
The guidelines state that grocery stores, fruits, vegetables shops/ carts, milk booths, poultry, meat and fish shop will remain open during the lockdown.
However, exemptions given from April 20 will not be applicable in COVID-19 hotspots/containment zones. The document specifies that State/UT Governments shall not dilute guidelines in any manner but may impose stricter measures in accordance with local requirements.
The Home Ministry said permitted industries must make arrangements for the stay of workers within their premises or in adjacent buildings by observing social distancing norms.
It said Defence, paramilitary, Health and Family Welfare, disaster management, NIC, FCI, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra and Customs offices will function without any restrictions.
Other ministries and departments will function with “100 per cent attendance” with deputy secretary and above rank officers.
“Remaining officers and staff to attend up to 33 per cent as per requirement,” it said.
According to the guidelines, in order to mitigate the public’s hardship, select additional activities will be allowed from April 20.
“However, these additional activities will be operationalised by States and UTs and district administrators based on strict compliance to existing guidelines on lockdown measures,” it said.
Activities permitted from April 20 are aimed at ensuring that agricultural and related activities remain fully functional, rural economy functions with maximum efficiency, employment opportunities are created for daily wage earners and other members of labour force, select industrial activities are allowed to resume their operations, with safeguards and mandatory standard operating protocols and digital economy, states the document.
The revised guidelines will not apply in containment zones, as demarcated by States/ UTs/ district administrations.
If any new area is included in the category of a containment zone, the activities allowed in that area till the time of its categorization as a containment zone will be suspended except those specifically permitted under the Health Ministry’s guidelines.
Containment zones will be demarcated by States/UTs/ district administrations in accordance with the ministry’ guidelines.
In these zones, no unchecked inward/outward movement of population would be allowed, except for essential services.
The Government described digital economy as critical to the services sector. Accordingly, e-commerce operations, operations of IT and IT enabled services, data and call centres for Government activities, and online teaching and distance learning are all permitted. (PTI)
Key points
*All health services, including AYUSH, will remain functional. These include hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, telemedicine facilities, dispensaries, chemists, pharmacies and all kinds of medicine shops.
*Veterinary hospitals, dispensaries, clinics, pathology labs, sale and supply of vaccine and medicines will remain functional.
*Manufacturing units of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical oxygen and those manufacturing their packaging material, raw material and intermediates will remain functional. So will construction of health infrastructure.
*All agricultural and horticultural activities to remain fully functional. These include farming operations by farmers and farm workers in fields and agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations.
*’Mandis’ operated by the Agriculture Produce Market Committee or as notified by state and Union Territory governments will remain functional
*Movement of fish and shrimps, and fish products, fish seed and feed will be allowed, and workers for all these activities will operate.
*Operations of tea, coffee and rubber plantations, with a maximum of 50 per cent workers, will be allowed. Processing, packaging, sale and marketing of tea, coffee, rubber and cashew, with a maximum of 50 per cent workers, is allowed.
*Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products by milk processing plants, including transport and supply chain, operation of animal husbandry farms such as poultry farms and hatcheries and livestock farming activity will be allowed.
In the financial sector, the following will remain functional:
*Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and RBI regulated financial markets and entities like NPCl, CCIL.
*Bank branches and ATMs.
*SEBI, and capital and debt market services as notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), IRDAI and Insurance companies.
In the social sector, the following will remain functional:–
*Operation of homes for children, disabled/mentally challenged, senior citizens, destitutes, women, widows, observation homes, after care homes and places of safety for juveniles.
*Disbursement of social security pensions, such as old age, widow, freedom fighter pensions; pension and provident fund services.
*Operation of anganwadis – distribution of food items and nutrition once in 15 days at the doorsteps of beneficiaries like children, women and lactating mothers. Beneficiaries will not attend the anganwadis.
In the education sector:
*All educational, training, coaching institutions shall remain closed. These establishments will maintain the academic schedule through online teaching.
*Maximum use of Doordarshan (DD) and other educational channels can be made for teaching purposes.
*MGNREGA works are allowed with strict implementation of social distancing and face masks.
Public utilities that will remain functional:
*Operation of the oil and gas sector, including refining, transportation, distribution, storage and retail of products like petrol, diesel, kerosene, CNG, LPG, PNG.
*Postal services, including post offices.
*Operations of utilities in water, sanitation and waste management sectors, at municipal local body levels in states and UTs.
*Operation of utilities providing telecommunications and internet services. Movement loading, unloading of goods and cargo (inter and intra state) is allowed.
*All goods traffic will be allowed to ply.
*Movement of all trucks and other goods and carrier vehicles with two drivers and one helper subject to the driver carrying a valid driving licence. An empty truck or vehicle will be allowed to ply after the delivery of goods, or for pick up of goods.
*Shops for truck repairs and dhabas on highways, with a stipulated minimum distance as prescribed by the States and UT authorities.
*Supply of essential goods is allowed.
*Shops (including kirana and single shops selling essential goods) and carts, including ration shops (under PDS), dealing with food and groceries (for daily use), hygiene items, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, poultry, meat and fish, animal feed and fodder etc, should be allowed to operate, ensuring strict social distancing without any restriction on their timing.
Commercial and private establishments, as listed below, will be allowed to operate:
*Print and electronic media, including broadcasting, DTH and cable services.
*IT and IT enabled services, with up to 50 per cent strength; data and call centres for Government activities only.
*E-commerce companies. Vehicles used by e-commerce operators will be allowed to ply with necessary permissions.
*Courier services.
*Services provided by self-employed persons like electricians, IT repair personnel, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters.
Movement of persons is allowed in the following cases:
*Private vehicles for emergency services, including medical and veterinary care, and for procuring essential commodities.
One passenger besides the private vehicle driver can be permitted in the backseat, in case of four-wheelers. However, in case of two-wheelers, only the driver of the vehicle is to be permitted.
Persons to remain under mandatory quarantine:
*All such persons who have been directed by health care personnel to remain under strict home/institutional quarantine for a period as decided by local health authorities.
*Persons violating quarantine will be liable to legal action under Section 188 of the IPC. (PTI)
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