Uttarakhand govt takes BIG decision for stand alone shops but liquor stores to remain shut

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Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday announced that all stand-alone shops will be allowed to remain open from 7 am to 6 pm. This relaxation will be allowed in 9 out of 13 districts which are declared green zones in Uttarakhand. However, liquor and barber shops will remain closed. This comes in the backdrop of Union Ministry of Home Affairs' order to allow shops to open amid the lockdown, but with several conditions. 

After the new order by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in rural areas, all shops, except those in shopping malls are allowed to open. 

The government has also clarified, "As specified in the consolidated revised guidelines, these shops will not be permitted to open in areas, whether rural or urban, which are declared as containment zones by respective States/ UTs."

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a meeting via conferencing with Chief Secretaries/DGPs of states and other officials over public health response to COVID-19, resumption of economic activities as per MHA guidelines. Issues of migrant labourers and of Indians stranded abroad will also be discussed.

The death toll due to coronavirus has risen to 779 in India while the cases have jumped to 24942, the Ministry of Health said in an update on Saturday. About 1490 new cases of the virus and 56 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

(With inputs from agencies)

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