Lockdown Guidelines: What Will Operate In Non-COVID-19 Hotspots After April 20

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the second phase of lockdown on April 14, he mentioned that there would be a relaxation in the restriction following April 20. He said that guidelines would be set out for relaxation, and it will be implemented based on the condition of India.

Following this, the Central Government came out with a list of economic activities that will be permitted after April 20, in certain areas intending to provide relief to farmers, labourers and daily wage earners along with containing the spread of the virus.

The Home Ministry, on April 15, issued an order delineating a list of activities that will be allowed to operate after April 20, 2020, and those which are obstructed amid the lockdown.

“The activities prohibited across the country include travel by air, rail and road; operation of educational and training institutions; industrial and commercial activities; hospitality services; all cinema halls, shopping complexes, theatres, etc, all social, political and other events, and opening of all religious places/ places of worship for members of public, including religious congregations,” read the order.

However, as Prime Minister announced that some relaxations would be permitted after April 20, based on carefully observing the performance of blocks, districts, states in tackling the coronavirus pandemic in their respective areas, the Home Ministry has issued guidelines regarding approval to certain economic activities from April 20, onwards.

The permitted activities from April 20, are aimed at ensuring that agricultural and related activities remain fully functional, the rural economy functions with the highest efficiency. Employment opportunities are created for daily wage earners and other members of the labour force, and select industrial activities are allowed to resume their operations, with adequate safeguards and mandatory standard operating protocols (SOPs) and the digital economy.

The Government has issued additional guidelines on April 17, allowing a few more activities for non-containment zones post-April 20. The Government’s citizen portal MyGov later shared on social media a list of activities that are authorized and the services which will remain shut as per the new guidelines.

The following economic activities will be allowed as they are critical for the agricultural sector and job creation while strictly adhering to orders in those areas where safety is eminent to contain the spread of COVID-19. State/UTs/district authorities will operationalise these based on compliance with existing guidelines. These will not apply to containment zones separated by respective states and UTs.

Here is a complete list of activities that will be permitted, and that will remain shut post- April 20.

What is permitted amidst lockdown?

Financial Services:

Commercial Services

Movement of people

Social Services

Agriculture activities

Health Services

Industrial Establishment

Cargo and Essential services

Additional Services

What will remain closed?

What is a hotspot?

Hotspots are areas of large COVlD-19 outbreaks or clusters with a significant spread of COVlD-19. The State, UT and district administrations are to decide the hotspots across the country.

What will operate in hotspots?

This will be determined based on the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India (Gol). The exemptions given after April 20 will not apply to hotspots. Furthermore, the State/UT/Local authority will have to demarcate the containment zones in hotspots.

Strict boundary control has to be put in place to ensure no unchecked inward, outward movement is carried out except for essential services including medical and law enforcement services permitted in these zones.

The areas where limited movement is permitted will face similar measures in case if a COVID-19 positive case is reported.

The Government had also issued detailed guidelines and preventive measures that need to be followed by workplaces and manufacturing industries including compulsion of wearing facemasks, avoid overcrowing of elevators, disinfecting the premises at regular interviews and mandatory thermal screening of workers at large establishments.

The penalty for the violation for lockdown is based on the Disaster Management Act of 2005. Any person found violating the lockdown rules will be charged under the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Sec. 188 of the IPC, and other legal provisions as applicable.

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