Lockdown relaxations come into force with certain conditions in non-spot areas from today.

Central Government will allow certain relaxations from today in the notified services in areas without Hotspots. In the wake of extention of national lockdown till 3rd May, a series of directives have been put in place to ensure a strict compliance of lockdown.

 

However, keeping in mind the current financial situation of low-income earners and farmers, the Centre had said that it will be permitting a few more services to function in areas that are not Covid-19 containment zones from today.

 

Operation of the fishing aquaculture industry, movement of fish and fish products and workers of all these activities are allowed. The guideline also allows operations of tea, coffee and rubber plantations with maximum of 50 per cent workers.

 

Poultry farms, livestock farming activity are allowed. Food processing industries in rural areas, manufacture of IT hardware, coal production, mines and mineral production, manufacturing units of packaging material have been allowed to operate.

 

Operations of Seaports and Inland Container Depots for cargo transport, including authorized custom clearing and forwarding agents will function as well.

 

IT and IT enabled Services have been allowed to resume functioning with up to 50 percent strength. In order to mitigate the hardship to the public, select additional activities will be allowed.

 

These limited exemptions will be operationalized by states, union territories, district administration based on strict compliance to the existing guidelines. Before allowing the select activities, states, union territories, district administration will ensure that all preparatory arrangements with regard to standard operating procedures for social distancing in offices, workplaces, factories and establishments and



other sectoral requirements are in place.

All agricultural and horticultural activities including farming operations by farmers and farm workers in field, agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations, Mandis' operated by the Agriculture Produce Market Committee, Shops of agriculture machinery will remain fully functional during this time. Movement of all trucks and other goods carrier vehicles with two drivers and one helper subject to the driver carrying a valid driving license including an empty truck to be allowed to ply after the delivery of goods or for pick up of goods. In addition, all finance related institutions and health related services will remain fully functional.  

 

In a major relaxation, services provided by self-employed persons like electrician, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics and carpenters will also be allowed to operate in all such areas which are not demarcated as Containment Zones. The guidelines also stated that work at construction projects where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside to begin in such municipalities or municipal corporations. Private vehicles for emergency services, including medical and veterinary care, and for procuring essential commodities would also be allowed.

 

Industries operating in rural areas and outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities and manufacturing and other industrial establishments with access control in Special Economic Zones and Export Oriented Units, industrial estates and industrial townships will be allowed to function. Courier sevices, cold storage, private security services, hotels accomodating people stranded due to lockdown have been allowed to operate.