The Ministry of Home Affairs, today, announced that the lockdown in the country would be extended until May 31st. In the fourth version of the lockdown, state governments have been allowed to demarcate the red,orange and green zones while they have also been allowed to impose restrictions accordingly in these zones.
Services like barber shops and saloons have not been mentioned in the prohibited section and there is also no specific restriction notified regarding the reopening of offices and factories.
Activities Prohibited
- The movement of individuals will not be allowed between 7 pm and 7 am, except for essential activities.
- All domestic and international air travel will continue to be forbidden except for air ambulances, medical services and security purposes.
- All schools, colleges and training institutions will remain closed for this duration along with metro rail services.
- Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services — except for specified reasons such as those housing health/policy government officials, healthcare workers, and stranded persons — will remain shut.
- Cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasium swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places will continue to remain closed.
- All classifications of gatherings or functions and large congregations will remain prohibited as well. Religious places and places of worship shall be closed for the public and religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
All other activities which are not specifically prohibited, will be allowed to function.
Activities Allowed
The below list of activities are still not allowed within a containment zone. However, there could be restrictions in certain services.
- Restaurants will be allowed to operate kitchens for home delivery of food items.
- Inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, with mutual consent of the States/UTs involved.
- Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, as per the instructions by the respective states and UTs.
- Sports complexes and stadiums will be permitted to open, without any spectators.
Containment Zones
- Only essential activities will be allowed in containment zones.
- There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure no movement of people in or out of these zones apart from essential services.
- There will be intensive contact tracing and house-to-house surveillance.
Apart from these instructions, citizens will have to compulsorily don masks and must follow social distancing norms. Shops have been asked to maintain at least six feet distance between customers and not to include more than 5 customers at a time. Also, consumption of liquor, paan and tobacco in public spaces is banned.
Source: The News Minute
