The nationwide lockdown imposed in the country was extended up to May 3. The extension of lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an address to the nation on April 14. And on today, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued revised guidelines on measures to be taken by Ministries and Departments of Government of India, state and Union Territory governments and authorities.
All domestic and international air travel of passengers (except for security purposes), passenger movement by trains (except for security purposes), buses for public transport, metro rail services will remain prohibited in the country till May 3. Taxis (including auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws) and services of cab aggregators to remain prohibited until May 3.
All educational, training, coaching institutions etc. shall remain closed. Inter-district and inter-state movement of individuals except for medical reasons or for activities permitted under guidelines shall remain prohibited.
Also, all cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theaters, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places shall remain closed.
All social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural/religious functions among other gatherings will also not be allowed. All religious places or places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited. In the case of funerals, a congregation of more than 20 persons will not be permitted.
Further guidelines issued by MHA:
– Spitting in public spaces shall be a punishable offence with fine as per the new lockdown guideline
– There should be a strict ban on sale of liquor, gutka, tobacco and the “spitting should be strictly prohibited” during the new lockdown period e.
– No organisation, management of public place shall allow gathering of five or more persons”.
– All the work places shall have adequate arrangement for “temperature screening and providing sanitizers at convenient places.
– Work places shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch break of staff to ensure social distancing. Persons above 65 years of age and parents of children below the age of five may be encouraged to work from home.
MHA issues updated consolidated revised guidelines after correcting the date from 20th May to 20th April 2020, on the measures to be taken by Ministries/Departments of Govt of India, State/UT governments & State/UT authorities for the containment of #COVID19 in India. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/nnaGKUrVZa
— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2020
– Use of Arogya setu app will be encouraged for all employees both private and public.
– All organisations shall sanitize their work places between shifts and “large meetings will be prohibited”.
– For the manufacturing establishments, the order mentions frequent cleaning of common surface and mandatory hand washing. No overlap of shifts and staggered lunch with social distancing in canteens shall be ensured.
– Intensive communication and training on good hygiene practices shall be taken up. The revised guidelines will not apply in containment zones, as demarcated by states, UTs and district administration.
MHA issues updated consolidated revised guidelines after correcting the date from 20th May to 20th April 2020, on the measures to be taken by Ministries/Departments of Govt of India, State/UT governments & State/UT authorities for the containment of #COVID19 in India. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/5T7CzaKMZc
— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2020
– If any new area is included in the category of containment zone, the activities allowed in that area till the time of its categorization as a containment zone, will be suspended except for those activities as are specifically permitted under the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
– Besides, wearing face cover is compulsory in all public places and workplaces, the guideline mentions.
To mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities will be allowed and come into effect from April 20, mentions the order under Disaster Management Act 2005
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