Bhubaneswar: The Union Government on Sunday extended the nation-wide lockdown as part of its strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19 by another two weeks till May 31.
The decision of lockdown extension is based on the suggestions made by several State governments. Chief Ministers of different States during the video-conferencing meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also suggested plans for exit from lockdown in a phased manner so as to revive the economy.
MHA directed the States to decided the zones -- Red, Green and Orange -- taking into consideration the parameters shared by the Health Ministry. Moreover, the "zones can be a district, or a municipal corporation/municipality or even smaller administrative units such as sub-divisions, as decided by states and UTs."
Within the Red and Orange Zones, Containment Zones and Buffer Zones will be demarcated by district authorities, after taking into consideration the guidelines of the Health Ministry.
"In Containment Zones, only essential activities shall be allowed. There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except medical emergencies and maintaining supply of essential goods and services," the guidelines added.
The government further said there would be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance and other clinical interventions in the Containment Zones.
As per the MHA guidelines, these following activities will be prohibited throughout the country.
1. All domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes or purposes permitted by MHA
2. Metro Rail Services
3. Schools, Colleges, educational institutions, training and coaching centres will remain closed. Online and distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.
4. Hotels restaurants and other hospitality services except those meant for housing, health, police, government officials, health workers, stranded persons and tourists and for quarantine facilities; and running of canteens at bus depots, railway stations and airports. Restaurants shall be permitted to operate kitchens for home delivery of food items.
- All cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, assembly halls. Sports complexes and stadia will be allowed to open but spectators will not be allowed.
- All social, political, sports,academic, cultural, religious functions, other gatherings and large congregations.
- All religious places, places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations strictly prohibited.
Guidelines For Opening Of Shops
All shops shall have to ensure six feet distance among customers; not allow more than five people at one time.
Local authorities should ensure that shops and markets, except in containment zones, open with staggered timings.
All shops, except those in containment zones and malls, will be allowed to open from Monday with staggered timings during lockdown 4.0.
People above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, children aged below 10 shall stay at home.
Movement of people will remain strictly prohibited across country from 7 pm to 7 am, except for essential activities.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had initially imposed the first lockdown on March 24 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and it was to end on May 3. However, it was subsequently extended till May 17.