The Assam government on Monday issued the guidelines for lockdown 4.0 stating the measures and relaxations that will be implemented in the state. These are based on the stipulations given by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country applicable till May 31. The state government will delineate zones such as Red, Orange or Green depending on the incidence and number of people affected in a given geographical area based on the risk profiling of the districts as per the MHA orders.
These guidelines will be enforced by the District Magistrates through fines and penal action as prescribed in Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions.
The movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited between 7.00 pm to 7.00 am, except for essential activities.
Assam Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines: What's allowed
The permitted activities with restrictions are as follows except in Containment and Buffer Zones:-
- All industries and their supply chain are allowed to operate without the need for any specific order. All personnel working there in shifts are allowed to commute to work as per shift timings;
- Tea industries and workers engaged therein are allowed to operate at all times.
- All warehouses are allowed to operate at all times and personnel required for their operation are allowed to operate all times;
- All activities related to PDS operations; FCI warehouses, Railways, LPG and petroleum delivery services and workers and staff engaged therein are allowed to operate at all times;
- E-Commerce for all commodities is allowed. Delivery of goods will be allowed till 7 PM. However, back end activities, including warehouse, are allowed at all hours.
- All automobile dealerships and outlets are allowed to operate between 7 AM and 7 PM;
- Supply chain related to essential food items like milk, fish and other perishables including workers engaged therein are allowed to operate at all times;
- All essential services including conservancy services by municipal bodies and other Government agencies are allowed at all times;
- Private offices located at the same building as that of a mall are allowed to operate but shops in the same building will not be allowed to open;
- Private Medical Clinics and OPDs including veterinary OPDs shall be allowed to open.
- All shops shall be allowed to operate till 6 PM. Shops in market complexes will remain open. However, malls will remain closed.
- Auto Rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers maintaining social distancing.
- Private four wheelers are allowed with a driver and two others
- For two wheelers, pillion riding is allowed either with one female or one child up to the age of 12 years.
- AII construction works shall be allowed between 7AM and 6 PM. However, all construction activities relating to highway construction, flood control works are allowed at all times;
- Bank employees are allowed to move beyond 7 PM depending on necessity;
- Large stand-alone shops are allowed to operate with a limited number of entrants;
- Media persons and persons engaged in printing newspapers and persons engaged in newspaper distribution are allowed to operate at all times
- City buses, intra-district and inter-district buses shall operate with 50% capacity. Only 50% of the total number of buses shall be allowed to operate and only under the authority of ASTC. All vehicles which are allowed to ply are not permitted to stop in the Containment and Buffer Zones.
- Government offices shall function normally but with staggered work hours for employees;
- AII tea shops, restaurants, ice-cream parlours, cooked food outlets are allowed to operate on take away or home delivery basis only till 7 PM including grocery by grocery shops.
- Barber shops, salons and parlours shall continue to remain closed. however, home visits would be allowed after following hygiene and sanitization norms
- Haats and bazaars including weekly markets shall remain closed throughout the state.
- Livestock carrying trucks shall be allowed to enter the State except those carrying pigs
- Sports activities without person to person contact and spectators shall be allowed.
- Movement of goods carriers, both laden and empty shall be allowed except in Containment Zones.
Assam Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines: What's not allowed
- Female employees, both private and public, with children below 5 years of age are not to attend office till 31st May, 2020 when this will be reviewed.
- Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of ten years shall stay at home except for essential and health purposes;
- All passenger movement by trains, except for security purposes or for purposes as permitted by MHA or Assam Government;
- Inter-State Buses for public transport and private vehicles, except as permitted by State Government;
- All schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions, etc, shall remain closed.
- Hotel Restaurants and other hospitality services other than those used for housing health/police/Government officials/healthcare workers, stranded persons including tourists and those used for quarantine facilities shall remain closed.
- All cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly of halls and similar places shall remain closed.
- All social / political/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions/ other gatherings are not allowed. However, not more than 50 persons for marriages and not more than 20 persons for funerals/ last rites, may be allowed maintaining social distancing.
- All religious places/ places of worship shall be closed to the public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
- Consumption of liquor, paan, gutkha, tobacco, etc, in public places is strictly not allowed.
- Spitting in public and workplaces will be punishable with fine.
- Shops will ensure minimum six feet distance among customers and shall not allow more than 5 persons at the shop.
- Maintaining social distancing and arrangement for thermal scanning, hand sanitization shall be the responsibility of the Head of the Organization both public and private.
- All other activities will be permitted except those which are specifically prohibited In Containment Zones, only essential activities shall be allowed;
- The Government of Assam, based on the assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain other activities in various zones or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary.