Tribune news service
Chandigarh, October 12
The Punjab government decided on Monday to open more activities in the areas outside the containment zones after October 15.
A spokesman for the Punjab government said a decision has been made to reopen schools and training institutions gradually after October 15, subject to some conditions, such as online / distance learning which will remain the preferred mode of teaching. and will be encouraged.
Apart from this, students from only classes 9 to 12 may attend schools / institutions with the consent of each student’s parents and without making attendance mandatory, as attendance is not to be enforced and must be fully dependent parental consent.
He added that schools allowed to open after October 15 would be required to follow SOPs that will be issued by the state department of school education in consultation with the Punjab department of health and family welfare.
Also, institutions of higher education only for research academics (PhD) and graduate students in science and technology streams that require laboratory / experimental work may open after October 15. For centrally funded higher education institutions, the institution director would satisfy himself / herself that there is a genuine requirement of academic researchers (Ph.D) and postgraduate students in science and technology streams that require labs / jobs experimental.
In addition, he said that all other higher education institutions, for example, state universities and private universities, can also open as of October 15 only for academic researchers (Ph.D) and graduate students in science streams. and technology requiring laboratory / experimental work.
Sharing details, he said that the pools to be used for athletes can open after October 15 according to standard operating procedures to be issued by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. In addition to this, Business to Business (B2B) exhibitions can open from October 15 according to SOPs issued by the Ministry of Commerce.
In addition, he stated that social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious and political functions, including weddings, funerals and other congregations, have already been allowed with a maximum limit of 100 people, only outside the containment zones.
Such gatherings beyond the 100-person limit are allowed outside the containment zones as of October 15, subject to certain conditions, such as in closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the room capacity is allowed with a ceiling of 200 people. The use of face masks, the maintenance of social distancing, the provision of thermal scanning and the use of hand washing or disinfectant will be mandatory.
It revealed that in the case of open spaces, keeping in sight the size of the land / space, with the permission of the district magistrate and with strict observance of social distancing, the mandatory use of face masks, provision of thermal scanning and use of washing hand sanitizer. Therefore, pure fun gatherings for more than 100 people will not be allowed.
