The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued an order for the status quo to be maintained in all activities allowed in the national capital so far, even as it allowed for two weekly markets per day per zone to be held instead of one from Thursday.
The order issued by Delhi’s Chief Secretary Vijay Dev on Wednesday evening followed Union Interior Ministry guidelines to unblock almost all activities by allowing for a gradual restart of schools, partial reopening of cinemas and large gatherings, including political and religious events.
Since the central government allowed these further relaxations as of October 15, the Delhi government said that the decision to allow all these activities will be made in a staggered manner and not during a single meeting of the DDMA.
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Clarifying Delhi’s current position after the Center’s guidelines were released, the latest DDMA order stated: “The Covid-19 situation has been reviewed and it has been decided that the status quo regarding prohibited / permitted activities (including trial activities) will be held at NCT Delhi until 31.10.2020 or more orders, whichever comes first. “
“It has also been decided that the opening of two weekly markets per day per zone may be allowed in the three municipal corporations / New Delhi Municipal Council / Delhi Cantonment Board instead of one weekly market per day per zone,” it reads in to the Order.
Senior officials in Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office said the government had urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to allow all weekly markets to resume operations in the city.
“The proposal was sent to LG, but LG allowed two weekly markets per zone per day. The prime minister was of the opinion that all weekly markets should now be allowed to open as people involved in this activity are already facing many difficulties due to the closure. Now that everything is open, they are also demanding the resumption of full operation, “said an official on condition of anonymity.
LG’s office did not comment on the matter.
The latest DDMA order also clarified that any form of public gathering, such as protests and rallies, will continue to be prohibited until new orders are issued.
“It is further ordered that all social / academic / sports / entertainment / cultural / religious / political functions / other gatherings and large congregations will continue to be prohibited throughout the NCT of Delhi,” the order stated.
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A senior government official said that the DDMA, which has Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal as president and Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal as vice president, will meet in the next few days to review the city’s Covid-19 situation and decide whether the rooms of cinema and more Most importantly, educational institutions should be reopened and, if so, how.
“Anyway, schools in Delhi have been ordered to remain closed until 5 October. Therefore, a decision is likely to be made in the next four days. Central universities like the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will also have to wait for orders from DDMA, ”the official said on condition of anonymity.
The Center’s guidelines state that the decision to reopen schools and training institutions in a phased manner may be made by the states / Territories of the Union after October 15 “in consultation with the management of the respective school / institution, at based on your assessment of the situation. ” However, if students prefer to attend classes online, they will be allowed to do so. The guidelines say that attendance must not be enforced and must depend entirely on parental consent.
Also, interstate buses have also not been allowed in Delhi so far even though they are allowed under the Center’s previous unlocking guidelines.
The DDMA will also decide on the reopening of cinemas and swimming pools, as well as on increasing the number of guests at social functions such as weddings in the next week. Currently, weddings should be limited to 50 guests in Delhi and funerals to 20.
The central government has allowed all these activities as of October 15, leaving state governments to decide whether or not they want to implement it, depending on the current Covid-19 situation.
On September 7, DDMA had allowed the Delhi Metro to resume operations in the city, followed by permission for gyms and yoga institutes to reopen on September 13. Hotels, restaurants, clubs and bars are now also operating in the city.
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