Extension of Lockdown for a further period of Two Weeks with effect from May 4, 2020
The criteria for identification
of districts as Red, Green and Orange Zones have been spelt out in detail in
the letter dated April 30, 2020, issued by Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW), GoI. The Green Zones will be districts with either zero confirmed
cases till date; or, no confirmed case in the last 21 days. The
classification of districts as Red Zones will take into account the total
number of active cases, doubling rate of confirmed cases, extent of testing and
surveillance feedback from the districts. Those districts, which are neither
defined as Red nor Green, shall be classified as Orange
zones. The classification of districts into Red, Green and Orange Zones will be
shared by MoHFW with the States and Union
Territories
A number of districts of the
country have, within their boundaries, one or more Municipal Corporations
(MCs). It has been observed that due to higher population density within
the MCs, and consequent greater inter-mixing of people, the incidence of
COVID-19 within the boundary of the MC(s) is higher than in the rest of the
district. In the new guidelines, therefore, it has been provided that
such districts will be classified into two Zones, i.e., one Zone for the area
under the boundary of the MC(s); and, another for the area falling outside the
boundary of the MC(s). If the area outside the boundary of the MC(s) has
reported no case for the last 21 days, it will be allowed to be classified as
one stage lower than the overall classification of the district as either Red
or Orange .
Hence, this area will be classified as Orange ,
in case the district is overall Red; or as Green, in case the district is
overall Orange .
This classification will enable more economic and other activities in that area
of the district, which is relatively less affected by the incidence of
COVID-19, while also ensuring that due caution continues to be exercised so
that these areas remain free from COVID-19 cases. This dispensation has
been made only in respect of districts having Municipal Corporation (s).
The most sensitive areas of the
country, from the spread of COVID-19 point of view, and falling within the Red
and Orange Zones, are designated as Containment Zones. These are areas
where there is significant risk of spread of the infection. The containment
areas would be defined by respective District Administrations, taking into
account the total number of active cases, their geographical spread, and the
need to have well demarcated perimeters from the enforcement point of
view. The local authority shall ensure 100% coverage of Aarogya Setu app
among the residents of the Containment Zone. Containment Zones would have
intensified surveillance protocols, with contact tracing, house to house
surveillance, home/ institutional quarantining of persons based on their risk
assessment, and clinical management. Strict perimeter control would need
to be ensured, so that there is no movement of people in and out of these
Zones, except for medical emergencies, and for maintaining supply of essential
goods and services. No other activity is permitted within the Containment
Zones.
Under the new guidelines, a
limited number of activities will remain prohibited throughout the country,
irrespective of the Zone. These include travel by air, rail, metro and
inter-State movement by road; running of schools, colleges, and other
educational and training/ coaching institutions; hospitality services,
including hotels and restaurants; places of large public gatherings, such as
cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes etc; social, political,
cultural and other kinds of gatherings; and, religious places/ places of
worship for public. However, movement of persons by air, rail and road is
allowed for select purposes, and for purposes as permitted by MHA.
The new guidelines also prescribe
certain measures for well being and safety of persons. Hence, movement of
individuals, for all non-essential activities, shall remain strictly prohibited
between 7 pm to 7 am. Local authorities shall issue orders under
appropriate provisions of law, such as prohibitory orders [curfew] under
Section 144 of CrPC, for this purpose, and ensure strict compliance. In
all zones, persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant
women, and children below the age of 10 years, shall stay at home, except for
meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. Out-Patient Departments
(OPDs) and Medical clinics shall be permitted to operate in Red, Orange and Green Zones,
with social distancing norms and other safety precautions; however, these will
not be permitted within the Containment Zones.
In the Red Zones, outside the
Containment Zones, certain activities are prohibited in addition to those
prohibited throughout the country. These are: plying of cycle
rickshaws and auto rickshaws; running of taxis and cab aggregators;
intra-district and inter-district plying of buses; and, barber shops, spas and
saloons.
Certain other activities have
been allowed in the Red Zones with restrictions. Movement of individuals and
vehicles is allowed only for permitted activities, with a maximum of 2 persons
(besides the driver) in four-wheeler vehicles, and with no pillion rider in the
case of two-wheelers. Industrial establishments in urban areas, viz.,
Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), industrial estates
and industrial townships with access control have been permitted. The other
industrial activities permitted are manufacturing units of essential goods,
including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and
intermediates; production units, which require continuous process, and their
supply chain; manufacturing of IT hardware; jute industry with staggered shifts
and social distancing; and, manufacturing units of packaging material.
Construction activities in urban areas have been limited to in-situ
construction (where workers are available on site and no workers are required
to be brought in from outside) and construction of renewable energy
projects. Shops in urban areas, for non-essential goods, are not allowed
in malls, markets and market complexes. However, all standalone (single)
shops, neighborhood (colony) shops and shops in residential complexes are
permitted to remain open in urban areas, without any distinction of essential
and non-essential. E-Commerce activities, in the Red Zones, are permitted
only in respect of essential goods. Private offices can operate with upto
33% strength as per requirement, with the remaining persons working from
home. All Government offices shall function with senior officers of the
level of Deputy Secretary and above at full strength, and the remaining staff
attending upto 33% as per requirement. However, Defense and Security
services, Health and Family Welfare, Police, Prisons, Home Guards, Civil
Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster management and related services,
National Informatics Centre (NIC), Customs, Food Corporation of India (FCI),
National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYK) and Municipal services
shall function without any restrictions; delivery of public services shall be
ensured and necessary staff will be deployed for such purpose.
A large number of other
activities are allowed in the Red Zones. All industrial and construction
activities in rural areas, including MNREGA works, food-processing units and
brick-kilns are permitted; besides, in rural areas, without distinction to the
nature of goods, all shops, except in shopping malls are permitted. All
agriculture activities, e.g., sowing, harvesting, procurement and marketing operations
in the agricultural supply chain are permitted. Animal husbandry
activities are fully permitted, including inland and marine fisheries.
All plantation activities are allowed, including their processing and
marketing. All health services (including AYUSH) are to remain
functional, including transport of medical personnel and patients through air
ambulances. A large part of the financial sector remains open, which
includes banks, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), insurance and capital
market activities, and credit co-operative societies. Operation of homes
for children, senior citizens, destitutes, women and widows etc.; and operation
of Anganwadis has also been permitted. Public utilities, e.g., utilities
in power, water, sanitation, waste management, telecommunications and internet
will remain open, and courier and postal services will be allowed to
operate.
Most of the commercial and
private establishments have been allowed in the Red Zones. These include print
and electronic media, IT and IT enabled services, data and call centres, cold
storage and warehousing services, private security and facility management
services, and services provided by self-employed persons, except for barbers
etc., as mentioned earlier. Manufacturing units of essential goods, including
drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates;
production units, which require continuous process, and their supply chain;
Jute industry with staggered shifts and social distancing; and manufacturing of
IT hardware and manufacturing units of packaging material will continue to be
permitted.
In the Orange Zones, in addition
to activities permitted in Red Zone, taxis and cab aggregators will be
permitted with 1 driver and 2 passengers only. Inter-district movement of
individuals and vehicles will be allowed for permitted activities only. Four
wheeler vehicles will have maximum two passengers besides the driver and
pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers.
In the Green Zones, all
activities are permitted except the limited number of activities which are
prohibited throughout the country, irrespective of the Zone. However buses can
operate with upto 50% seating capacity and bus depots can operate with upto 50%
capacity.
All goods traffic is to be
permitted. No State/ UT shall stop the movement of cargo for cross
land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. No separate pass
of any sort is needed for such movement, which is essential for maintaining the
supply chain of goods and services across the country during the lockdown
period.
All other activities will be
permitted activities, which are not specifically prohibited, or which are
permitted with restrictions in the various Zones, under these guidelines.
However, States/ UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, and with the
primary objective of keeping the spread of COVID-19 in check, may allow only
select activities from out of the permitted activities, with such restrictions
as felt necessary.
No separate/ fresh permissions
will be required from authorities for activities already permitted to operate
under the guidelines on Lockdown measures up to May 3, 2020. The Standard
Operating Protocols (SOPs) issued by MHA will continue to operate such as
transit arrangement for foreign national(s) in India; release of quarantine
persons; movement of stranded labour within States/ UTs; sign-on and sign-off
of Indian seafarers, movement of stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists,
students and other persons by road and rail.
Click here to see the New Guidelines on Lockdown Measures
Posts
No comments