In view of the extension of the COVID-19 National lockdown yesterday until May 3, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued revised Consolidated guidelines on how the country would function during this lockdown.
For mitigating the hardship caused to the public, certain selected additional activities will be allowed from April 20 onwards.
These guidelines are to be operationalised by State/UT/District administrations. The respective administrations are also to ensure that social distancing is enforced before allowing the relaxations.
Activities that remain prohibited across Country until May 3
- All domestic and international air travel, train travel (except for security purposes); public bus travel; metro rail services
- Inter-district and inter-state movement of Individuals except for medical reasons or permitted activities
- Educational, training, coaching institutions etc.
- Industrial and commercial activities, other than those exempted
- Hospitality services, other than those specifically permitted under the guidelines
- Taxis and services of cab aggregators
- Cinemas, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, bars, auditoriums and similar places
- Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions/ other gatherings
- Religious places and places of worship will be closed fo public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited
- In case of funerals, congregation of more than twenty persons will not be permitted
COVID-19 Hotspots
- The revised guidelines/relaxations will not apply in containment zones demarcated by the respective State/UT/District Administrations.
- Hotspots i.e Areas of large COVID-19 outbreaks or significant spread will be determined as per Union Health Ministry and Central government guidelines.
- In hotspots, containment zones will be demarcated by states/UTs/District administrations as per Union Health Ministry guidelines
- Stricter control measures will operate in these areas to ensure there is no unchecked movement of people inward/outward, except for maintaining essential services and government business continuity. Activities allowed under the revised guidelines will not be permitted.
Select, permitted activities allowed from April 20
For mitigating the hardship caused to the public, certain selected additional activities will be allowed from April 20 onwards and in strict adherence to the restrictions already notified. These include the following:
- All health services (including AYUSH) to remain functional. This includes hospitals, veterinary hospitals, pharmacies, construction of medical infrastructure including manufacture of ambulance and movement (inter and intra State, including by air) of medical personnel, scientists, nurses, para medical staff, lab technicians, mid-wives and other hospital support services including ambulances.
- All agricultural and horticultural activities, which have been further detailed in the notification.
- Fisheries operations which have been specified in the notification.
- Plantations activities with a maximum of 50% workers. The permitted operations include those of tea, coffee and rubber, and the processing, packaging, sale and marketing of tea, coffee, rubber and cashew (with the specified 50% workforce).
- Animal husbandry activities including those concerning milk collection, milk products, poultry farms and hatcheries, livestock farming, animal feed manufacturing, feed plants and operation of animal shelter homes including gaushalas.
- Financial Sector, the following are to remain functional: RBI and RBI regulated financial markets and entities; bank branches, ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations, banking correspondents, ATM operation and cash management agencies; SEBI, capital and debt market services notified by SEBI; IRDAI and insurance companies.
- In Social sector, homes for children, the disabled, mentally challenged, senior citizens, destitute, women, widows; observation homes, after care homes etc. are to remain functional.
- Online teaching/distance learning to be encouraged.
- MNREGA works are allowed with strict implementation of social distancing and face mask. Priority to be given to irrigation and water works.
- Public utilities including oil and gas; power distribution; postal services, water, sanitation and waste management; telecommunications and internet services.
- Certain activities concerning the movement, loading/unloading of goods/cargo (inter and intra state) are allowed in terms specified in the notification.
- Supply of essential goods allowed, provided strict social distancing is followed. Notably, establishments having essential goods can operate without any time restrictions on opening and closing, provided social distancing is strictly followed. District authorities may encourage and facilitate home deliver to minimise movement of people outside their homes.
- Commercial and private establishments listed in the notification are allowed to operate. These include print and electronic media; IT and IT enabled services with 50% strength; Data and call centres for government activities only; government approved Common Services Centres at the Gram Panchayat level; E-Commerce companies; courier services; cold storage and warehousing activities; private security services; hotels/homestays etc. accommodating stranded tourists; establishments earmarked for quarantine; services provided by self-employed persons such as electricians, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics and carpenters.
- Industries (both government and private) have been allowed to operate. The details regarding which categories have been exempted is specified in the notification.
- Private vehicles may be used to emergency services or procurement of essential commodities, where only one passenger besides the driver is permitted in the backseat if it is a four wheeler. In case of two-wheelers, only the driver is permitted. Persons travelling for work exempted by the government from the lockdown will move as per the instructions of the local authority.
- Offices of the Central Government and the State Government/UT Government and subordinate bodies will remain open as detailed in the notification. Certain departments would only have restricted functioning. Notably, police, home guards, civil defence, fire, emergency services, disaster management, prisons and. Municipal services will function without any restrictions.
National Directives for COVID-19 Management
The National directives shall be enforced by the District Magistrate Through fines and penal action as prescribed in the Disaster Management Act 2005.
In Public spaces
- Face masks compulsory in all public and work places;
- Social distancing to be ensured;
- No organisation shall allow gathering of more than 5 persons;
- Marriages, funerals to be regulated by District Magistrate;
- Spitting in public spaces punishable with a fine;
- Strict ban on sale of liquor, gutka, tobacco etc.
Work spaces
- Adequate measures to be provided for temperature screening, sanitisers should be kept in convenient places;
- Workplaces shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to ensure social distancing;
- Persons above 65 years of age and persons with co-morbidities and parents of children below 5 years of age to be encouraged to stay home;
- Use of Arogya Setu app will be encouraged for all employees;
- Organisation to sanitise their work places between shifts;
- Large meetings to be prohibited.
Read Guidelines here:
