NEW DELHI, Mar 25:
Soon after the announcement of 21-day nationwide curfew-like lockdown, made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening, the Union Home Ministry issued a detailed guidelines for this period.
Under the Centre’s guidelines, the emergency services like food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and shops, including ration (under public distribution system), groceries, fruits, vegetables, dairy, Milk booth, fish, meat and animal fodder, will remain open.
However, the district authorities may encourage and facilitate home delivery, to minimise the movement of individuals outside their homes.
Similarly, the banks, ATMs and insurance offices will remain open, whereas petrol pumps, LPG, petroleum and gas, retail and storage outlets and power generation, transmissions and distribution services will function as usual.
All hospitals and related medical establishment, internet, broadcasting and cable services will keep on providing their services without interruption.
All transport services, including air, rail and roadways will remain suspended, with an exception to transportation for essential goods only, fire services and law & order and emergency services.
The hospitality services will remain suspended, with an exception to Hotels, home stays, lodges and motels, which are accommodating tourists and people stranded due to lockdown, medical and emergency staff, air and sea crew, or establishments used or earmarked for quarantine facilities.
All educational, training, research and coaching institutions will remain closed and also all places of worship will be closed for public. No religious congregations will be permitted, without any exception.
All social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions, gatherings shall be barred, whereas in case of funerals, congregation of not more than 20 people will be permitted.
The guidelines also direct that all persons, who have arrived in India after February 15 and all such persons who have been directed by the health care personnel to at home or institutional quarantine for a period as decided by local Health Authorities, should follow the rules, failing which they will be liable to legal action under Section 188 of IPC.
ln order to implement these containment measures, the guidelines said the District Magistrate will deploy Executive Magistrates as Incident Commanders in the respective local jurisdictions.
The Incident Commander will be responsible for the overall implementation of these measures in their respective jurisdictions. All other line department officials in the specified area will work under the directions of such Incident commander.
The Incident Commander will issue passes for enabling essential movements, as explained.
The Incident Commanders will, in particular, ensure that all efforts for mobilisation of resources, workers and material for augmentation and expansion of hospital infrastructure shall continue without any hindrance.
Any person violating these containment measures will be liable to be proceeded against, as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of IPC.
The above containment measures will remain in force in all parts of the country for a period of 21 days, with effect from March 25, the MHA guidelines said. (UNI)26
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel