Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: As India nears the end of the fourth phase of lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday came up with a fresh set of guidelines to be imposed in Lockdown 5.0. The fifth phase of lockdown beginning June 1 will be in force till June 30 in all the containment zones while major curbs will be lifted outside containment zones.
The Centre has decided to extend the lockdown in containment zones up to June 30, 2020 whereas prohibited activities will now be reopened in a phased manner in areas outside containment zones. The guidelines issued will remain in force till June 30, MHA said.
The MHA guidelines for phased re-opening of areas mentions that in areas outside containment zones, all activities will be permitted, except some which will be allowed, with the stipulation of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), in a phased manner.
As per the phased re-opening guidelines issued by MHA, the night curfew time has been reduced. The movement of individuals is now prohibited between 9 PM and 5 AM across the country except for essential services.
Activities allowed from June 8, 2020, include:
(i) Religious places/ places of worship for the public.
(ii) Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services.
(iii) Shopping malls.
The Health Ministry will issue SOPs for the above activities, in consultation with the Central Ministries/ Departments concerned and other stakeholders, for ensuring social distancing and to contain the spread of COV1D-19.
In Phase-II of phased reopening, schools, colleges, educational/ training/ coaching institutions will be opened after consultations with respective States and UTs. State Government, UT administrations may hold consultations at the institution level with parents and other stakeholders. Based on the feedback, a decision on the re-opening of these institutions will be taken in the month of July 2020. The Ministry of Health will also prepare an SOP in this regard.
The MHA further informed that decision on restarting international air travel, metro trains, cinema halls, gym, and political gathering will be based after assessing the situation.
In Phase-III, based on the assessment of the situation. dates for re-starting the following activities will be decided:
(i) International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA.
(ii) Metro Rail.
(iii) Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
(iv) Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations.
Containment zones will be demarcated by the district authorities after taking into consideration the guidelines of MoHFW. In the 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 for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services
Further in the CZ, there shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance, and other clinical interventions, as required. Guidelines of MoHFW shall be taken into consideration for the above purpose.
Unrestricted Movement of Persons and Goods
There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements. However, if a State/ UT, based on reasons of public health and its assessment of the situation, proposes to regulate movement of persons, it will give wide publicity in advance regarding the restrictions to be placed on such movement, and the related procedures to be followed.
Movement by passenger trains and Shramik special trains, domestic passenger air travel, movement of Indian Nationals stranded outside the country and of specified persons to travel abroad, evacuation of foreign nationals, and sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers will continue to be regulated as per SOPS issued.
No State/ UT shall stop the movement of any type of goods/ cargo for cross land-border trade under Treaties with neighbouring countries. The MHA further advised persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.