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Wearing face masks and masks is now mandatory in public places and workplaces, spitting in public is a punishable offense, and selling liquor, gutka and tobacco is strictly prohibited. All industries operating in rural areas and the government’s flagship rural employment scheme will also be able to reopen starting April 20 if they follow social distancing rules and other safeguards against COVID-19 infection.
These are some of the directives in a new order issued on Wednesday by the Interior Ministry (MHA) to manage the pandemic. Closing is scheduled to end on May 3.
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People who violate quarantine will be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, which prescribes six months in prison, if convicted. In the case of containment areas or critical points, there will be strict control of the perimeter. State governments can impose stricter measures as required in local areas, said the order issued by the Union’s interior secretary, Ajay Bhalla.
In addition to rural industries, the guidelines allow for the construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings, and industrial projects in rural areas. The construction of renewable energy projects will be allowed. In urban areas, on-site construction projects will only be allowed if workers are available on site. Brick kilns in rural areas can resume work.
States will decide what additional public activities will be allowed beginning April 20.
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They will have to be based on strict compliance with existing guidelines on blocking measures.
Relaxations will be implemented at the discretion of state and district authorities in areas that have not been identified as infection zones or containment zones. Certain additional activities are allowed “to mitigate difficulties to the public,” the order says.
The standard operating procedure (SOP) for factories and offices from April 20 onwards says that health insurance is mandatory for workers.
Workplace curbs
Workplaces should have an hour gap between shifts, and lunch breaks should be staggered to ensure social distancing. All organizations must disinfect workplaces between shifts. Frequent cleaning of common surfaces and hand washing is mandatory. Thermal screening of everyone entering and leaving work facilities is mandatory and a list of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in the vicinity must be available at the workplace, the SOP says.
Work units should encourage the use of stairs, stagger work hours to ensure social distancing, and prohibit the entry of non-essential visitors, he says.
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Travel by air, rail, subway, public bus, taxi, taxi aggregator will remain suspended. Movie theaters, shopping malls will be closed. All social / religious gatherings are prohibited until May 3, and all industrial and commercial units, unless exempt, will remain closed.
The revised guidelines allow small service providers to operate, such as electricians, plumbers, IT repairers, engine mechanics, and carpenters. This move is recommended by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
The supply chain of essential goods, supermarkets, vegetables, fruit carts and e-commerce companies will be able to operate without time restrictions.
In addition to pharmaceuticals and other essential sectors such as agriculture, mining and fertilizers, which are already exempt from the blockade, several new industries will be allowed to operate starting April 20. Enabled IT and IT services will be allowed to run 50%, while IT hardware manufacturing has been added to the list of exemptions. E-commerce companies, oil and gas exploration and refineries, food processing in rural areas, and jute industries will be able to restart work, following a strict operating procedure designed to prevent the spread of infection.
Manufacturing and other industrial activities in Special Economic Zones, Export Oriented Units and other industrial estates and municipalities may also be reopened, provided that arrangements are made for workers to remain on the premises or in adjacent buildings.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which provides 100 days of minimum wage work to rural households, is also allowed, provided that social distancing and the use of face masks are strictly enforced. The work provided under the scheme, which is crucial to contain rural distress, has plummeted to around 2% of usual so far in April. The new guidelines say that priority should be given to irrigation and water conservation works. Other central and state water schemes can also be implemented using MGNREGA workers.
Transportation of goods has been a major hurdle in the past two weeks with initial guidelines allowing for the transportation of essential goods only. The new guidelines make it clear that all freight traffic will be able to move, with two drivers and one assistant with a truck. Empty trucks will be allowed to fold after delivery of goods or to pick up goods. Truck repair shops and dhabas will be allowed to operate on the roads. E-commerce and messaging services can also be restarted.
All health services will be allowed, including the manufacturing of ambulances and the operation of public services that provide telecommunications and Internet services.
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There will also be a gradual return to the office of the government’s own workforce, with new guidelines requesting 100% assistance from officials above the deputy secretary level, with junior staff attendance of 33%. Certain departments like defense, police and health will work without restrictions.
Sectors that have been allowed to operate under the new guidelines must first establish arrangements to follow the SOP before reopening. Executive magistrates in each district will be designated as “Incident Commanders” to monitor compliance and issue passes to allow for essential movements allowed under the revised guidelines.
While state governments cannot further dilute the restrictions, they are free to impose stricter measures as needed, the guidelines say.
First set of guidelines
The Center issued the first set of such guidelines on March 24 under the 2005 Disaster Management Act, first invoked in the country, to streamline the management of the pandemic that empowers district magistrates to make decisions .
Previously, the MHA had allowed manufacturing / production, transportation, and other related supply chain activities with respect to essential goods such as food, medicine, and medical equipment.
In another letter to States, Mr. Bhalla emphasized that the guidelines would be withdrawn immediately if any of the blockade measures were violated, jeopardizing the spread of COVID-19, and stated that the restrictions would not be watered down under any circumstances. .
