No Public Transport till May 3
Union Home Ministry on Wednesday issued a new guideline permitting opening up of industries, agriculture, all truck movements of all kinds of goods and offices with strict social distancing norms after April 20 in all areas except the areas notified as hot spots of COVID-19 pandemic. All those who go out must cover the face with masks or traditional clothes. However no public transport including cycle rickshaws, the opening of educational institutes, malls, cinema halls and sale of alcohol, tobacco, gutka, spitting banned across India till May 3, the last day of the lockdown.
In a 13 page circular to the States and Union Territories, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the States and District administration can add up restrictions subject to the situation on the ground. The circular also directs that all officers in charge or CEOs of the companies should ensure the social distancing norms, prevent the gathering of more than five persons in office areas ensure shifts and cleaning and sanitizing of the premises.
The State Governments will announce the notification of the designated hotspots on April 20 and no entry and exit will be allowed in these areas. The essential services will be delivered by the administration at the doorsteps.
These services will be fully-functional after April 20 according to news guidelines:
- All Medical facilities that include Aayush, health infrastructure related works.
- Agriculture and Horticulture related activities including Mandis run by Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) or notified by State/Union Government.
- Movement of all kinds of cargos by airways and railways.
- Financial sector including RBI, bank branches and ATMs, SEBI.
- MGNREGA related work.
- Industries related to the production of essential goods, industries in rural areas.
- Movement of cargos and essential items across the country.
- Public utilities such as the oil and gas sector.
- E-commerce companies’ operations.
- Infrastructure projects such as the construction of roads, buildings, irrigation projects including MSME in rural areas.
- IT companies, but with only 50 percent staff and under the strict provisions of social distancing norms.
- Movement of private vehicles in case of any medical emergency. In the case of Two-wheelers, only the driver will be allowed.
- Offices of departments under the Government of India and its subordinates.
- Offices of State Governments, Union Territories and their autonomous/subordinates.
IRDAI and insurance companies. - Social sector including observation homes, after-care homes, and Anganwadis.
- Postal services along with post offices across the country.
- Public utility works such as water, sanitation and waste management by Municipal/local bodies in states and union territories.
- Trucks with two drivers and a helper. Empty trucks to pick up goods or to return after delivering goods.
- Truck repair shops and Dhabas on Highways with prescribed social distancing norms.
- Common Service Centres (CSCs) approved by the government at the gram panchayat level.
- Private security services and facilities management services to ensure the security and maintenance of office complexes.
- Hotels, homestays, lodges, and motels which are accommodating tourists stranded due to lockdown.
- Services by electricians, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters.
Services to remain suspended until May 3:
- Passenger transport by Railways, Airways or buses along with metro service in big cities.
- Inter-state and Inter-district movement of persons, except for the condition exempted.
- All industrial and commercial activities other than specifically exempted.
- All educational, training and coaching institutions.
- All cab and taxi services including autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws.
- Hospitality services other than specifically exempted.
- All places of public gathering such as malls, cinema halls, shopping complex, gymnasiums, sports complex, swimming pools, entertainment parks
- In funerals and congregations, attendance of more than 20 people.
- Religious or place of worship. Religious congregation strictly prohibited.
The Circular also said that States should adhere to the daily directions of Union Health Ministry. The 13 page MHA circular is published below :
MHA Revised Guidelines – April 15 by PGurus on Scribd
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The guidelines look good in paper, but do the states have common sense ,people and mechanism to implement these guidelines ? Most of the industries are interconnected and most of the rural industries have marketing and admin offices in towns & cities. Migrant labour is the MAIN bond in the functioning of every part of our daily life like security guards, cooks, maids,Dhobis,cleaners, maintenance technicians, loaders, unloaders etc etc.
I do not want to be pessimistic, but in a country where laws cannot be implemented and where there is no fear of law, such guidelines do not serve the purpose. A simple guideline should have served the purpose. Travel ban for socialising, closure of malls, theatres,clubs,religious places, educational institutions, courts and red zones would have been suffice.
Even if trains start after 3 rd May, it will be chaos for a month as lakhs of migrants will be rushing to Bihar, Bengal ,North east and Orissa. It will take another three more months before migrants return to their work and things will start normalising.
Prime concern of govnt should be to track and facilitate movement of migrant labour and the rest will fall in place. Next major head ache for govnt would be how to bring back lakhs of overseas citizens.